If things were different
by Shiner Shining Bright
Summary: In Firestar's quest, when Spottedleaf was telling Sandstorm that she could never be Firestar's mate, she wished for things to be different. She got a chance to go back and change it, so she could be a warrior. Will be rewritten once finished.
1. Prologue: Becoming a kit:Broken

**Okay, this is the second draft. Boy, did the previous one have bad mistakes and horrible writing. I understand why people flamed me. I hope they don't now...**

Setting: Firestar's Quest, after the scene in the ShyClan medicine den, when Spottedleaf gives Sandstorm the birdock root

-Firestar's POV-

"What I wouldn't give for things to be different."

That was the last thing Spottedleaf had said to him that night. And it couldn't have been any more true. Firestar wanted things to be different.

_No, you don't_, Firestar's mind replied. _Sandstorm is your mate now, there's no going back._

But in the warrior's den of the SkyClan camp, late at night, a terrible truth was revealed to Firestar. He loved Sandstorm. But he didn't love her as much as he loved Spottedleaf. He had _used _Sandstorm. He used her to try to give meaning to the period of time between Spottedleaf's death and when Firestar could join her in StarClan. Sandstorm had been right. Firestar _did _want Spottedleaf to be with him instead of Sandstorm.

But the problem was that the knowledge wouldn't help. Firestar was still leader of ThunderClan, Sandstorm was still his his mate, and Spottedleaf was still a medicine cat that was dead. The worst part of that part was that Spottedleaf was a medicine cat.

_Yellowfang and Runningnose had kits, even though Yellowfang was a medicine cat._

_But Spottedleaf's dead. Your mate is Sandtorm, and you're the leader of ThunderClan._

_Graystripe is a good deputy, if I never came back, he would understand._

_But what about Sandstorm?_

_She'd move on, eventually._

_That's preposterous!_

_Oh, if Spottedleaf was a warrior instead!_

_You were still an apprentice._

Tired of bickering with himself, Firestar went to sleep that night feeling miserable and helpless.

-Spottedleaf's POV-

"What I wouldn't give for things to be different."

That was the last thing that Spottedleaf said to Firestar that evening. She would have said more, but Sandstorm was hovering at her mate's side. Whenever Firestar even spoke of Spottedleaf, Sandstorm's eyes glowed like she thought Firestar would say more, would reject her. So Spottedleaf had to play along. Oh, how she hated playing along. And she could tell that Firestar hated it too. But ever since Sandstorm became Firestar's mate, Firestar started to seem less like he was playing around.

Spottedleaf was so absorbed in her thoughts of Firestar, she didn't notice that her mother, Tawnytail, had sat down beside her.

"What is bothering you?" Tawnytail asked quietly.

"Just some idiotically petty jealousy." Spottedleaf answered, trying to shrug off the question.

"Firestar, isn't it?" Tawnytail guessed.

Spottedleaf tried to avoid her mother's gaze, but she eventually had to submit.

"I would really never trust you again if you told me that your jealousy of Sandstorm really didn't matter." Tawnytail growled.

"I'm even jealous of _Cinderpelt _because Firestar can see her in the waking world. This matters a lot to me." Spottedleaf sighed.

"How much?" Tawnytail inquired anxiously.

"A lot."

"If you were in the waking world, what would you do? Kill Sanstorm?"

"Nothing that could cause Firestar pain. And Sandstorm didn't do anything wrong."

"So what would you do?" Tawnytail asked again.

"If there were someway I would have never have been a medicine cat."

"I thought you loved medicine cat life!" Tawnytail gasped.

"I did. But I love Firestar more. Much more."

"We need to get you to Featherwhisker." Tawnytail observed.

"Featherwhisker? Why?" _What does Featherwhisker have to do with this? _

Spottedleaf painfully ripped her eyes away from Firestar and followed Tawnytail to her mentor.

"Featherwhisker!" Tawnytail called.

"Yes?" answered Featherwhisker.

"Spottedleaf wants to change."

"Why on earth would she want to do that?"

"Firestar." Tawnytail answered simply.

"So her feelings for him are that great?"

"Why else would she want to change?"

"_Wait_!" Spottedleaf stopped their exchange suddenly. "What exactly do you mean by 'change' and can I be part of the conversation about my own future?"

"Actually, it's more like your past. You see, when a cat's destiny goes horribly, horribly wrong, a cat can change it's life and get to live it all over, but avoiding their previous mistake." Featherwhisker explained.

Spottedleaf's eyes widened to the size of moons, and when she tried to speak, all that came out was, "Wow..."

"You _do _realize that no cat has ever changed before?" Featherwhisker asked.

"Then how do you know about it?" Spottedleaf asked.

"We were planning to change Cinderpelt after she trains an apprentice." Featherwhisker explained.

"Oh. So can I, you know, _change_?" Spottedleaf asked anxiously.

"Well, I suppose it _is _possible..."

Spottedleaf squealed with excitement.

"Then we must speak with Sunstar to perform the ceremony." Tawnytail declared.

Spottedleaf couldn't help mewing, "There's a _ceremony _for that?!"

"There's a ceremony for _everything._" Featherwhisker meowed sarcastically.

Sunstar appeared within seconds. "So Spottedleaf wants to change, huh?"

"Yes, I do." Spottedleaf answered for herself.

"You understand the cost? Nothing will be the same." Sunstar urged.

"Isn't that the idea?"

"So you are sure about this?" Featherwhisker asked.

"Obviously."

"Then I, Sunstar, call upon the rest of us to help Spottedleaf achieve the past and change it. Spottedleaf, do you promise to keep fate from falling and to achieve what you must?"

"I do." Spottedleaf replied firmly.

"Then what point in time do you wish to begin your life over?"

"Kit-hood, so I can become a _warrior_ apprentice."

All the Starclan spirits came together at that moment, and Spottedleaf began to shimmer. She closed her eyes, and then she opened them.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was in the Thunderclan nursery, and she was a kit. A four-moon-old kit.

"Spottedkit!" called her sister, Moonkit.

"Yes?"

"Oh, right, I forgot. You don't like to fight. Sorry."

"Actually, I would love to play-fight with you." mewed Spottedkit.

**Oh, yeah! Prologue, done! Oh, yeah! Operation: no flamers, stage one complete!**


	2. My kits are missing! Broken

**Thanks for the review, elderhawk. By the way, I keep forgetting the disclaimer. Sorry about that. Also, sorry people that read the first chapter. I was on vacation, then I took a break from the computer to try and beat Super Smash Bros. Brawl, then school started. I still am going to barely update because Eclipse is coming out and I'm getting a kitten in a month. Yay me!**

**Okay, second postage. Ya, I got the kitten and he's so cute! Okay, so, uh, Operation: no flamers, stage two in progress!**

"What?" exclaimed Moonkit."Don't you hate fighting?"

"No. If I ever want to train as a warrior, then I would have to like to fight." Spottedkit explained.

"You don't have to like to fight to become a warrior, you just can't hate it, Spottedkit." replied Spottedkit's know-it-all sister, Sunsetkit.

"Well, I want to train as a warrior, so I don't hate it." replied Spottedkit stubbornly.

"What happened to being a medicine cat?" Sunsetkit inquired.

"A medicine cat?! Why on earth would I want to be a medicine cat?" asked Spottedkit incredulously.

Their conversation was interrupted by Bluefur's shocked yowl from across the nursery. "My kits! They're gone!"

Bluefur's kits, Mistypaw, Stonepaw, and Mosskit, were very young, barely old enough to travel. And Bluefur was claiming they were gone.

Spottedkit glanced around the nursery and was dismayed to find that Bluefur was correct. Her three kits were absolutely nowhere to be seen. In addition to that, the nursery was as destroyed as if a badger or fox had broken in.

Sunstar sped in that moment and paused to take in the odd surroundings before asking, "What happened here?" in a rather comical way.

Bluefur's eyes widened and she looked as if she would have cried(If cats _could _cry) as she explained things to Sunstar. "I was hunting alone. When I came back, there was this huge hole in the nursery and the kits were gone!" Bluefur wailed desperately. But oddly, Spottedkit thought she noticed a phony edge to it.

"What do you suppose happened?" Sunsetkit asked innocently.

"I think a badger took them!" Bluefur wailed.

"But there's no badger scent!" Moonkit exclaimed.

"Well, how else do you explain it?" Bluefur snapped.

Moonkit shrugged."So I guess they were taken by a badger." she mumbled.

"_Stop it!_" Tawnytail hissed. Since all the cats that were crowding the nursery had no choice but to look at the annoyed queen, they did so.

"What might have happened is that they sneaked out..." Tawnytail suggested.

"Why would three kits sneak out of the camp _in the middle of leaf-bare_?" Bluefur asked.

Tawnytail fell silent. She probably wasn't the brightest cat in the Clan...

"Well, Tawnytail could be right. The three kits could have sneaked out from pure foolishness. Mosskit and the others will probably come back." Sunstar consoled.

"Mosskit won't come back. She's _dead_!" a cat hissed from outside the nursery. The cat that meowed was none other than Thistleclaw, Bluefur's arch-enemy!

"What?!" mewed a grief-stricken Sunsetkit.

"It's true. We found Mosskit's body at Sunningrocks, freezing away." informed Tigerpaw.

"Wonder how it got there?" Darkpaw inquired slyly.

"I think that's enough." Thistleclaw meowed commandingly, interrupting their scaring of Sunsetkit.

The three cats left the nursery. When they were gone Moonkit padded over to Sunsetkit and gave her a comforting lick.

"It's not easy to lose a best friend." she consoled.

"Mosskit was a good friend."

The three kits heard a loud sigh. Bluestar had been just about to ask Sunstar if she could go rejoin the warriors in their den, instead of being a queen without any kits to nurse.

"Oh, Oakheart, what I do for you." Bluefur whispered as she padded out of the den.

_Oakheart! The Riverclan deputy!_

**Sorry the chapter was short. It's a short situation, and I just discovered Super Smash Bros. fan fiction! **

**Okay, second post. Oh, yeah! Phase two, fininshed. And thank you, once again to my not-too-hard-working beta, elderhawk!**


	3. Bluefur the deputy Broken

**Atabistar didn't do much in the way of rebuilding this.**

**Disclaimer: I will tell you that I own Tawnytail, Moonkit, Sunsetkit, and Spottedkit as a kit.**

**1 moon later...**

Spottedkit woke up to hear Sunstar calling a Clan meeting. She followed her sisters, Moonkit and Sunsetkit, as well as her mother Tawnytail out of the nursery. Tigerpaw, his amber eyes flashing, was at the front of the crowd. Thistleclaw was with him and both were looking full of themselves. This must be their warrior ceremonies.

"Tigerpaw, Lionpaw, and Darkpaw, come forward." Sunstar meowed. The three older apprentices, heads held high (though humbly in the case of Lionpaw), obeyed.

"Thistleclaw, are you pleased with Tigerpaw's training?" Sunstar asked.

"I am." Thistleclaw answered confidently.

"Speckletail, are you satisfied with Darkpaw's training?"

"Yes, of course."

"Smallear, are you satisfied with Lionpaw's training?"

"He will make a fine warrior."

"I, Sunstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Tigerpaw, Lionpaw, and Darkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." the apprentices answered simultaneously.

"Then by the power of StarClan I give you your warrior names." Sunstar stepped up to Tigerpaw.

"Tigerpaw, from now on you will be known as Tigerclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Sunstar rested his muzzle on Tigerclaw's head, and Tigerclaw licked Sunstar's shoulder respectfully. Sunstar then named the other cats in a like manner.

"Tigerclaw, Lionheart, Darkstripe!" The Clan cheered.

After waiting for the cheers to die down, Sunstar yowled for Longkit, Mousekit and Runningkit to come up to the Highrock for their apprenticing ceremonies.

Sunstar padded in front of Runningkit. "Runningkit, you will now be known as Runningpaw." he meowed.

"Bluefur. You will train Runningpaw. Bluefur, Stonepelt trained you to be loyal and kind. Pass these qualities on to Runningpaw."

With that, Bluefur proceeded to touch noses with Runningpaw.

Sunstar proceeded to give Mousepaw to Whitestorm and Longpaw to Redtail.

"There is one last thing to attend to. Tawnyspots, is it your wish to give up your place in the warriors den and go to join the elders?"

"It is." Tawnyspots answered.

"Then may StarClan grant you many seasons of rest." Sunstar meowed.

"A new deputy must be chosen. I have thought long and hard and I have made my choice."

Every cat glanced at Thistleclaw expectantly.

"Bluefur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

There were murmurs of surprise at Sunstar's choice. Bluefur accepted the position graciously.

"I will serve the Clan as best I can." Bluefur declared.

The Clan cheered. Yet Bluefur wasn't happy. Spottedkit felt her sadness pulse out of her.

"Mosskit, I'm sorry." Bluefur whispered.


	4. Bluestar and Zippy Broken

**Disclaimer: I do not own any cats except Tawnytail, Sunsetpaw, Moonpaw, Zippy, and some other cats I might make up during the course of the story.**

**Someone asked who Sunsetkit was. Sunsetkit is Spottedkit's sister, and a character I made up purely for the sake of this story.**

**Atabistar's note: Atabistar swept through and rebuilt broken shards of a story.**

Twenty-seven days left...fourteen days left...nine days more...four more days...three more days...two more days...one last day!!

Spottedkit was elated. The past moon had gone by very quickly. Spottedkit, Moonkit, and Sunsetkit were going to become apprentices!

Her happiness got her into some trouble. She was stomping around the nursery, waking Tawnytail.

"Spottedkit, out with your good happy mood!" Tawnytail ordered. Spottedkit took her happiness outside, running into Featherwhisker, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and nearly bowling herself over in the process.

"Oh, Featherwhisker! I'm sorry!" Spottedkit exclaimed.

"I don't blame you. You're excited. I just don't have an apprentice anymore." Featherwhisker responded.

"You had an apprentice?" Spottedkit asked quizzically.

"Yes. You were to be my apprentice until you stopped helping me." he answered.

"Oh. So, by the way, what are you holding?"

"Surely your training hasn't deserted you so quickly?" Featherwhisker asked incredulously.

"No. I just thought it would be odd if you were holding catmint, the best cure for greencough, in the middle of greenleaf." Spottedkit answered.

"Well, Sunstar has greencough and this is his last life." Featherwhisker explained worriedly.

"Oh!" Spottedkit's eyes widened, killing her mood.

There was a huge commotion at the front of the camp. In came Runningpaw, Mousepaw, and Whitestorm, the sunhigh patrol. With them was a small pregnant light brown tabby she-cat. Before Spottedkit notice Featherwhisker had gone missing, he was back.

"Sunstar is dead!" Featherwhisker announced.

All the cats swarmed around Featherwhisker to hear the news.

"Sunstar lost his last life in a desperate battle against greencough. He will be remembered always. Bluefur, you are the new leader of ThunderClan." Featherwhisker meowed hurriedly.

"Well, who is the she-cat?" asked Smallear, as he scrutinized the newcomer.

"I'm Zippy." the she-cat stammered.

"And what is your business in ThunderClan, Zippy?" Bluefur asked importantly.

"I'm lost. I was in the forest, and then I found some cats. I followed them here." Zippy answered nervously.

"Send her back where she belongs!" Tigerclaw suggested.

"ThunderClan will do no such thing!" Bluefur snapped. "She's about to have kits. We can at least grant her our hospitality until then!"

"But she's a kittypet!" Darkstripe protested.

"We are granting her our hospitality for the moment. That is all for now." Bluefur concluded.

"Oh, thank you!" Zippy mewed.

"Have we forgotten our vigil for Sunstar?" asked Goldenflower worriedly.

"No. Of course not!" Bluefur answered. She padded into Sunstar's den to carried his body out. Bluefur, along with others, sat down in order to sit vigil with Sunstar. This left Cloudnose and Hollymist, the other queens, to settle Zippy into the nursery.

**Guess what? I'm having my first fanfiction contest! I don't really know when Spottedkit and the others will become warriors, but they will be apprentices in the next chapter. So you have a lot of time to give me the best names for Spottedkit, Moonkit, and Sunsetkit. So give me names!**

**Grr.. This is the last one for today.**


	5. Spottedpaw never Broken

**Um Lightkit, one question. ARE YOU PSYCHIC?! My original backup names were Moonfur, Sunsetfoot, and Spottedflower. So far, ****Lightkit**** is winning. If you can come up with better names than the original names, good for you. Usual disclaimer.**

**Undercover Jedi cleaned up this chappie and reposted it, so… kudos to me!**

"So our apprentice ceremony is going to be a day late!" Moonkit meowed incredulously.

"Moonkit, Sunstar just _died_ and all you can worry about is our apprentice ceremony!" Sunsetkit scolded.

"He did have greencough anyway. Featherwhisker told me." Spottedkit mewed quietly.

"And you care about why Sunstar died _because_?" Sunsetkit asked.

"I don't know. It just came to my mind." Spottedkit explained.

Bluefur left for Highstones at dawn with Featherwhisker...

"So, now what?" Moonkit mewed.

"I don't know." Sunsetkit answered.

"I was planning on becoming an apprentice today; you?" Spottedkit muttered.

"So what do we do, then?" Moonkit asked again.

"I don't really know."

"Do you want to see what Mousepaw and Runningpaw are up to?" Moonkit asked.

"Mousepaw's on patrol. Runningpaw's asleep." Spottedkit answered Moonkit.

"I can't wait until I can go on patrol." Sunsetkit mewed wistfully.

"We're only going to have to wait another day; just one." Spottedkit meowed.

The day went on mostly like that, with Moonkit getting more bored by the second, Sunsetkit muttering wistfully about being an apprentice, and Spottedkit reminding them that they would only have to wait another day until they can get their apprentice names.

At last it was the next dawn. The three unlucky kits waited rather impatiently for Bluestar to come back from Highstones. At about sunrise they saw a faint blue-gray shape on the horizon. Sunsetkit let out an impatient squeal, only to be silenced quickly by Spottedkit. Bluestar padded into camp, looking deeply muttered something to Featherwhisker, and then leapt up onto Highrock to summon the Clan.

But she didn't need to; the Clan was already gathered beneath the Highrock, waiting for her to say something. The fated trio padded up to the front of the mass of ThunderClan cats.

"Come up here, you three." Bluestar meowed.

The three kits padded nervously towards Bluestar. Once they were up, Bluestar summoned the right words.

"Redtail. Silentstep was a good mentor to you; train Moonpaw just as well as you were trained."

Redtail and Moonpaw touched noses. Then Bluestar continued, "Thistleclaw, you trained Tigerclaw well. I hope you will train Sunsetpaw just as well."

Sunsetpaw and Thistleclaw, too, touched noses.

"And Spottedkit. You mentor will be Ti-"

Bluestar had stopped because a meteor had suddenly flashed across the sky.

"A StarClan warrior has fallen from the sky!"

"What could it mean?"

"Which StarClan cat?"

"What does this have to do with Spottedkit."

Then Bluestar's voice rang out.

"This ceremony cannot continue. Spottedkit will never be a warrior. Spottedkit, you will stay in the nursery."


	6. Spottedkit in danger Broken

**I just got my ipod on Monday! It's one of those new ones that have giant screens! I got it because my birthday was on Sunday! **

**I took out this extremely long authors note as part of my beta-ing job. It was outdated, anyways.**

**I would love to thank my beautiful, bubbly, bestie and wifey Undercover Jedi for beta-ing!**

"We should kill her!" yowled Darkstripe.

"Exile her from the clan!" suggested Tigerclaw.

"Yeah, kill her!" agreed Darkstripe's apprentice, Longpaw.

"_ThunderClan will not kill her!_" Bluestar yowled almost loud enough to be heard from Barley's barn.

Then she calmly stated, "We will not harm Spottedkit. She has done nothing wrong. Until we decide what will become of her, Zippy will take care of her. Tawnytail, you can move back to the warrior's den."

The cats started to disband.

Sunsetpaw and Moonpaw left for the apprentice's den, leaving Spottedkit behind. In a deep state of melancholy, Spottedkit trudged back to her home for the first six moon of her life. If Darkstripe got his way, they would probably also be the last six moons of her life. She caught up with Zippy at the entrance to the nursery.

"I wonder who Bluestar's first deputy will be." Zippy wondered, completely changing the subject.

"Do you think it will be Whitestorm?" mewed Hollymist.

"He does have a good chance of becoming deputy, being Snowfur's son and all." meowed Cloudnose.

"What about Redtail?" asked Willowpelt.

"Redtail?! And hedgehogs will fly!" Hollymist cut in. "Redtail's too shy to even have a hope of becoming deputy!"

"Redtail does have some good experience being a warrior." Spottedkit softly answered Hollymist, Redtail's mate."He still has no chance." cut in Cloudnose.

The bunch of ignorant queens gossiped about who-knows-what with Spottedkit making comments occasionally. This continued until about Sunhigh, when Bluestar called a Clan meeting. Zippy and the other overly gossip-y queens left their gossiping in order to come to this meeting. Once all the cats were assembled, Bluestar began to speak.

"The time has come to choose a new deputy. I say these words before StarClan, so that they may hear and approve of my choice. Redtail will be the next deputy of ThunderClan."

"Told you," Spottedkit mewed to Zippy as murmurs of surprise and respect rippled across the ThunderClan cats.

"Indeed, you did." Zippy answered. As the meeting concluded, Zippy, Willowpelt, and Cloudnose headed back to the nursery as Hollymist padded over to Redtail in order to give her mate a proper congratulations. Spottedkit was heading over in order to converse with Sunsetpaw and Moonpaw about what they had learned so far and about Bluestar's choice of deputy. As she caught up to them, she realized they were conversing with Mousepaw and Runningpaw.

"...and Spottedkit missed it all, because she's still a kit." Sunsetpaw was saying.

"Oh, look! Here she is!" Mousepaw exclaimed.

"So, how was it?" Spottedkit asked the two of them.

"I don't even want to talk about it," muttered Sunsetpaw.

"Me neither." mewed Moonpaw.

"Why not?" asked Spottedkit urgently.

"Don't feel like it." muttered Sunsetkit.

Satisfied with that answer, Spottedkit wandered over around camp in order to reach the nursery. Just tail-lengths away from the nursery, she accidentally bumped into Darkstripe. He turned around and scowled.

"Watch where you're going, especially a cursed one like you." Darkstripe meowed.

"Cursed?" Spottedkit asked confusedly.

"StarClan don't like you. If a StarClan warrior falls, you're cursed. I can't have cursed cats in the Clan I live in. I will rid the Clan of all cursed cats. You're no exception."

"You want to get rid of me?" Spottedkit asked fearfully.

"I will do what I must." Darkstripe mewed solemnly.

**Something nice I did for people I know was that I put in my friends as some characters. For example, my mom is who Zippy is supposed to be. My brother, Dirtfur (he picked it himself), and my best friend, Wetfur, come into the story later. My dad, Pinefoot, and my friend, Sparrowtail, come in as Shadowclan cats at some point in time. Me, Blackpelt, I'm the heroine, duh. Hey, I just had a good idea! I could create a contest where you give me a storyline. The best storyline creates a character and that character becomes either the main character or a constant companion. Everyone that tries becomes a character. Just comment with a storyline and a description of your cat. The contest ends when I find a really good storyline. I'll anounce the winners once I find a winner. The other contest is still on!**

…**I'm keeping this author's note. But am I a cat here? **


	7. No Spottedkit left Broken

**Thanks for telling me about that typo, Remmie. Guess what? Today marks a great day in my Fan fiction career. This day is the day I got trolled. Trolling is when a fan fiction user flames you, giving you absolutely no constructive criticism, just cussing you out for not doing anything. I got 'trolled' by Glitterpaw of ThunderClan. Want to see this? Here's Glitterpaw of ThunderClan's review:**

**Shall we play a game? Yes? Good. This is called 'Things That Are Smarter Than**

**You'. Just pick the correct answer, and you get a prize!! Like, OMG!1**

**Which of the following things are smarter than you?**

**A. A rock**

**B. My left hand**

**C. A stick**

**D. All of the above**

**E. Duh... I dunno...**

**If you picked D, then that's correct! And even if you didn't pick D (something tells me you picked E) then that's okay! Because you get an amazing spot in my 'Disgraces to the Human Race' C2 community! Wasn't that a wonderful prize? And if you didn't understand a single word: You write like .**

**I'll have you know that I am currently working on not writing like .**

**Undercover Jedi edit: As your beta, I say we keep the flame. 'Tis hilarious, though it takes up half the page.**

So, now, our little friend Spottedkit has got herself in a bit of a pickle with Darkstripe. He wants to get rid of the cursed one, and he believes she's cursed. This is going to be fun.

Over the next half-moon, Spottedkit had started to get to know Zippy. Oddly enough, Zippy was a loner, she was expecting one kit, and despite her name, she was pretty slow. And in return, there wasn't much Spottedkit could say, she was only six and a half moons old. Darkstripe had continued making taunts about the cursed one, yet Sunsetpaw and Moonpaw were oblivious to it all. Meanwhile, Bluestar and Featherwhisker continued to mutter to each other whenever Spottedkit was around, always flicking their eyes towards her, like she was the subject of some great prophecy. Therefore, Spottedkit was left alone, trying to figure out what on earth she would do about, well, everything!

"What should I do?" Spottedkit asked Zippy for the hundredth time that day.

"Stop asking me!" Zippy answered for the hundredth time that day. "Go outside. That might ease your troubles."  
"Doubt it." Spottedkit muttered, before leaving the nearly packed nursery.

As soon as Spottedkit set one paw out of the nursery, as if on cue, Bluestar and Featherwhisker began to mutter to each other once more. Spottedkit took refuge in the fact that Moonpaw was back from a patrol, but without Sunsetpaw. It seemed that Moonpaw was always much more even-tempered when Sunsetpaw was not around. Spottedkit's helpless feeling returned when she saw that Darkstripe was on the returning patrol. He immediately padded over to the other side of camp. Trying to ignore the annoying one, she focused her attention on Moonpaw.

"Spottedkit; I needed to see you!" Moonpaw exclaimed.

"Me? Don't you usually want to talk to Sunsetpaw?" Spottedkit asked.

"About that; listen, Sunsetpaw is really mean. She makes me do things that I don't normally want to do. I just feel pressure when she asks me to do things. She's just so popular, and I want to be like her." Moonpaw admitted.

"So it's popularity you seek?" Spottedkit asked in a very psychiatric way.

"I guess."

"Well, then. Here's some advice: Be yourself." Spottedkit meowed in a very Disney-ish way.

"How can being myself get me friends? I'm a freak; a dim-witted failure." Moonpaw wailed.

"Runningpaw's a dim-witted failure and he's not part of Sunsetpaw's crowd. Be friends with him." Spottedkit consoled.

"Good idea. But that actually is not why I was looking for you," Moonpaw said hurriedly, now desperate to change the subject.

"Then why _were _you looking for me?" Spottedkit wondered.

"Darkstripe has d-decided to kill you today. I heard Tigerclaw t-t-talking about traps r-right after training. They were j-just talking about 'the cursed shall not live!" I panicked and ran to tell you." Moonpaw stammered.

"Moonpaw, if I survive this, thanks a lot!"

"I wonder if kittypets are this popular, even with their Twolegs tending to their every whim!" Sunsetpaw loudly joked from across the camp.

"There are a whole lot of kittypets to get mixed up with!" Mousepaw replied, also very loudly.

"Could you keep it down out there!" yowled One-eye. "Moonflower is trying to get some sleep!"

Spottedkit heard something behind her. She turned around, and there was Darkstripe. He padded over to Spottedkit.

"Hello, Spottedkit." he meowed.

"Hello, Darkstripe." she meowed.

"Listen, Spottedkit, I'm sorry for the way I behaved. I was wrong to act that way, and I feel sorry. Please forgive me." Darkstripe meowed.

Spottedkit forgave Darkstripe. That forgiveness changed her life.

"As a token of my forgiveness, I wish to ask you to come hunting with me."

"But kits aren't-" Spottedkit started.

"You're six moons old, aren't you? Act like it."

"Fine; I'll come."

Darkstripe and Spottedkit padded through the forest, Darkstripe apparently looking for something. Spottedkit didn't know where she was, or what Darkstripe was looking for, but she assumed he was looking for signs of prey. At last Darkstripe paused.

"There is a mouse in that bush. Catch it."

"But I don't know how!" Spottedkit protested.

"Honestly, kit! You have _no idea_!?"

"Could you show me?" Spottedkit suggested.

"Fine," Darkstripe meowed. A moment later, he spotted a mouse nibbling on something. He instinctively dropped into the hunter's crouch. He sprang, and then bit down on his neck.

"That is how you kill a mouse. Now catch that mouse!"Darkstripe ordered.

"Is it still there?" Spottedkit asked.

"Yes it's still there." Darkstripe verified.

"Why does the mouse smell like Tigerclaw?" Spottedkit wondered.

"Because it _is _Tigerclaw." growled Tigerclaw. With that, Tigerclaw and Longpaw slid out of the trees.

"What an untimely death!" laughed Darkstripe. Soon enough, the other two joined in his laughter.

Not a moment too soon, Spottedkit remembered Darkstripe's mouse.

"The fresh-kill is escaping!" Spottedkit yowled.

The three evil cats glanced around anxiously for zombie mice. Spottedkit, of course, knew that there were no zombie mice and used those precious seconds to run away fast. She ran until she couldn't run anymore.

"Oh, what am I to do?" She wondered. Then she remembered Mousepaw's words:

"There are a whole lot of kittypets to get mixed up with!"

Suddenly, the bright shining light of revelation washed upon Spottedkit.

"That's it! I'll become a kittypet!" she realized.

**Sorry if I didn't make the contest instructions clear enough. I need a storyline for a ****new fan fiction****. It's my fault for not making it clear enough. My dad helped me figure out an ending. But thank you to Blueclaw, who at least tried to give me an ending. So the names that have been taken are: So far, just Blueclaw and Frostflower. **


	8. An unexpected destiny

**Okay, Moonfire, you're right. You do capitalize the 'C' in RiverClan. And I agree that Runningwind is so cool! I just have plans for him.**

**Another beta by UJ… the chapters are getting better, I'm proud to say.**

Spottedkit once more heard noises, verifying that she was being chased. An instant before she spotted Darkstripe's sleek tabby pelt, she started running again. As previously mentioned, she had no idea where she was or where she was headed. In other words, she didn't know where the Twolegplace was. She could only guess. But that didn't matter, as she didn't have enough time to think about where she was going.

Leaves whistled past as Spottedkit ran, but she took no notice. The only thing she _did_ notice was how much distance she was putting between herself and Darkstripe. Gradually the distance increased, until the trees stopped altogether. In its place was a bad-smelling strip of something yucky. Yet it smelled faintly of Twoleg. She knew this because Moonpaw, Sunsetpaw, Runningpaw, and Mousepaw brought home the stench of Twoleg after patrolling near the Twolegplace. Sadly, they never told her exactly where the Twolegplace was. So here she was, looking for the Twolegplace. And here it was, a stinking strip of something Twoleg-made.

_It smells like Twoleg. I must be on the right track, _thought Spottedkit.

As expected, she crossed the stinking strip. _The stink of _that_ will obviously cover my scent, so Darkstripe will never find me._ She padded along on the other side of the stink-strip for some while. As also expected, it stank on the other side of the stink-strip. Spottedkit, of course, could not recognize the stench, and paid no attention. Therefore, she didn't notice the three sets of approaching paw steps.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" came a rasp.

"Look, Pinefoot, Yellowfang! A little ThunderClan apprentice!" came a laugh.

"Wow. This is the first excitement in a moon. Broken will be pleased," meowed Pinefoot.

"Please don't hurt me!" Spottedkit pleaded.

"Pinefoot, Sparrowtail, we're supposed to be gathering cobwebs, not bothering ThunderClan apprentices! Besides, what use could she be to ShadowClan?" Yellowfang reasoned.

"But what would Brokentail say?" wondered Sparrowtail, her eyes flitting back and forth precariously.

Yellowfang gasped, being silent for a moment. Then she replied, "What Brokentail doesn't know won't hurt him, or us, for the matter."

"That's why they need smarter medicine cats," Sparrowtail muttered to Pinefoot.

Pinefoot sighed in annoyance. "Very well, apprentice. Run fast before we change our minds." Pinefoot growled to Spottedkit.

Spottedkit heeded the ShadowClan warrior's advice and continued to follow the stink-strip at a very fast pace.

After a while, she heard something that sounded like a low growl. The growling grew louder and louder, until Spottedkit just wanted to yowl at the loudness. Then something large and ugly passed by, accompanied by a _whoosh _of air. Then the growling got softer and softer.

"That was weird," Spottedkit mewed to herself. She privately decided that she didn't want to get crushed by a growl-monster.

She padded along, following the stink-strip until about sunset. At about that point she found a mountain-like thing. When she looked a little higher, she saw that there was a cave in the rock.

_Well, I have no better place to spend the night. Why not that strange cave?_ She began the long trek towards the cave that would be her shelter for the night.

When she got up, she looked inside. It was dark inside the cave, but then again, it was nightfall. She would have checked for foxes or badgers, but she didn't know their scent. So Spottedkit padded into the cave. There was a long tunnel, and Spottedkit had nothing better to do than follow it.

At last she reached the end. Something she found weird was that there was a fresh cat scent, but no cat. Her pondering stopped when there was a bright flash. During that flash she saw a stone, about 3 tail-lengths high, and it looked like all the starlight was being absorbed by this stone. Spottedkit was scared and wanted to run away, but her curiosity rooted her to the spot.

_Maybe if I appear to be asleep, then they, whoever they are, will think that I am asleep._

So Spottedkit attempted her best pretend-sleep. Some seconds later, a paw prodded her side.

"I know you're awake. You really are not fooling anyone," came a soft voice.

Spottedkit looked up. In front of her was a white she-cat with emerald eyes. Her pelt almost seemed to be sparkling.

"Who are you?" Spottedkit asked incredulously.

"My name is Mothflight. I am the fallen StarClan cat."

"Aren't StarClan only in dreams?"

"I felt I needed to apologize for almost getting you killed. I also needed to speak with you. Follow me," Mothflight mewed apologetically. Then she took off into the sky.

"Excuse me, Mothflight. I can't fly," Spottedkit pointed out bluntly.

"Well, try to step into the sky." Mothflight suggested.

"Okay." Spottedkit meowed uncertainly. She did what Mothflight told her, and she was surprised to find that it was possible to step into the sky.

"Am I d-dead?" Spottedkit stammered.

"No. Not at all." reassured Mothflight.

"Then how come I'm flying?"

"Because you're dreaming," replied Mothflight bluntly.

"When did I start dreaming?" Spottedkit asked, unable to recall falling asleep.

"When you stepped into the sky, of course!"

"Oh," Spottedkit answered simply.

Finally, they reached the sky. An entire sky-world materialized in front of Spottedkit's eyes. There was a large glade, stretching as far as the eye could see. Spottedkit noticed a bunch of cats in the sky-glade.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" meowed a fiery orange tom. Then he looked at Spottedkit closely. "Mothflight! This kit isn't one of the ancients!"

"Thunderstar, do me a favor and let me explain!" Mothflight protested.

"Explain to _all _of the ancients!" Thunderstar challenged.

"As you wish," Mothflight submitted.

As if on a hidden signal, all of the ancients started to gather. There was Dapplepelt, Pebbleheart, Cloudspots, Thunderstar, Lightningtail, Owlstar, Windstar, Gorsestar, Riverstar, and Shadowstar, all the cats Spottedkit had heard of in the elder's tales.

"Mothflight, explain yourself," Windstar ordered. "Why have you brought a cat foreign to the ancients, and even worse, a _living _cat? She isn't even a medicine cat!"

"But she _is_ a medicine cat!" Mothflight protested.

"I am?" Spottedkit asked quizzically.

"Yes you are. It is your destiny, and no cat can change it. No cat," Mothflight told Spottedkit solemnly.

"But I don't... I can't..." Spottedkit tried hard to protest.

Suddenly a searing pain enveloped Spottedkit. It felt as if her claws and teeth were being ripped out of her. The pain was nothing like she had felt before, as if she were being crushed by a growl-monster. As if Darkstripe succeeded in murdering her. As if a giant boulder had fallen on top of her. The similes would have continued, but then the pain ended and she was filled with a calm feeling of acceptance. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the ancients had known about her pain.

"I felt as if my claws and teeth were being ripped out of me," Spottedkit panted.

"But they weren't," replied Thunderstar.

"So will you become a medicine cat?" Mothflight prompted immediately.

"I will," Spottedkit proclaimed.

"Featherwhisker must be over those hills, and you will leave the ancient's dwelling. That is where the dwelling of main StarClan will be. Go find Sunstar and ask him to contact Featherwhisker. Quickly, the night will be done soon."

Spottedkit was about to leave when Mothflight suddenly meowed, "Wait! Spottedkit!"

"Yes?" Spottedkit asked exasperatedly.

"If ever there is something wrong, don't hesitate to ask!" Mothflight called.

"Thank you, Mothflight!" Spottedkit called back.

Spottedkit padded over the indicated hills and right out of the ancient's dwelling. She found herself, as expected, in the dwelling of main StarClan. She set out to find Sunstar immediately.

She found Sunstar near the camp of main StarClan. Sunstar was surprised to see her.

"Spottedkit? What are you doing here?" Sunstar inquired.

"I was told to ask you to get a message to Featherwhisker," Spottedkit answered. She thought it wise not to mention Thunderstar, Mothflight, or the rest of the ancients for fear of waking up after dawn.

"What about?" Sunstar inquired curiously.

"About my training as a medicine cat," Spottedkit answered simply.

"Oh."

After a few seconds, Featherwhisker appeared a couple of tail-lengths in front of the two of them. Featherwhisker looked confused for a second.

"Brother, what have you contacted me n-" Featherwhisker's confusion turned to shock when he saw Spottedkit.

"Spottedkit!" he exclaimed. "What-"

"Save your worry, brother," Sunstar meowed. " Spottedkit merely wishes to tell you something."

"Oh." Featherwhisker meowed. "Well, then, what do you need to say?"

"I-Iwanttotrainasamedicinecat!"

"Could you repeat that?" Featherwhisker asked confusedly.

"I want to train as a medicine cat!" Spottedkit mewed finally.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

"Well, now that you are mentor and apprentice, there is something you both must see," Sunstar told them.

A vision enveloped Spottedkit, now Spottedpaw. They were in a part of ThunderClan territory with many tall pine trees. She looked at the ground, and she saw a small black kit, no more than about five moons old, running for her life. When Spottedpaw looked closer, she saw that the kit had sapphire-blue paws, ears, and tail tip.

_How weird. No cat has fur _that _blue! _Spottedpaw thought. Yet Featherwhisker beat her to the question.

"Who is this kit?"

"She will be a kittypet, and then she will leave her Twolegs for her own reasons. Spottedpaw, you need to make sure that she speaks to Bluestar. That is _critical. _Featherwhisker, you must be her dream guardian."

"So I'll be-" Featherwhisker began to ask fearfully.

"Yes. It is the natural order of the world. She, her brother, and her sister will be born in a moon. Her brother, a flame-colored tom, will also mean great good for ThunderClan," Sunstar stated.

Sunstar was about to wake Featherwhisker up when Featherwhisker suddenly asked Spottedpaw, "How _did_ you get up here?"

"I guess I must have accidentally wandered into Mothermouth," Spottedpaw realized.

"I would think it safe to assume that you have no means of getting back, excluding crossing ShadowClan territory," Featherwhisker assumed.

"You guessed right," Spottedpaw admitted.

"I didn't guess. Darkstripe came yowling into the camp that you ran straight into the Thunderpath. I was afraid that you were hit by a monster," Featherwhisker replied.

"You were saying..." Sunstar urged.

"Oh, yes! Spottedpaw, cross the Thunderpath. There will be a barn. Go in there and wait for me," Featherwhisker instructed.

"Okay."

Featherwhisker then woke up.

"Now how do _I _get out?" Sottedpaw asked.

"Wake up, of course!" Sunstar answered.

Spottedpaw woke up and found herself at the Moonstone.


	9. Spottedpaw the medicine cat Broken

**Fine, I'll deal. But I know what I mean, so please don't try to create an action that wasn't there in the first place. Yes, Bluestar is leader because Sunstar is dead. And don't forget that Spottedpaw is six moons old so she is officially an apprentice. Cannon Enforcer, I do have a beta of some kind. BTW, that kit is me. Well, my alter-ego. And in case you're thinking it, yes, Firestar is my alter-ego's brother...**

**TO ALL READERS: you seriously don't get my urgency**_**. I need some characters.**_** I have about **_**two characters!**_** It is absolutely urgent. You don't have to submit a storyline, just **_**submit a character!**_** Frostflower, thanks for sending in those other two characters, but unless it's urgent, I can only accept one character per person. But if I need to, I will use your characters. BTW, I do support SpottedXFire and SandXFire at the same time.**

Spottedpaw woke up and found herself at the moonstone. Remembering her instruction, she followed the tunnel back to Mothermouth's entrance. As she stood at the entrance to Mothermouth, facing the other way, she felt so _changed_. She padded down the slope non-stop until she reached the bottom. When she was about to cross, she heard the low growl of what she now knew was a monster. She waited for the monster's growl to subside before she crossed the Thunderpath.

When she was safely at the other side, she tried to look for the barn, but the day was too foggy. Therefore, she was forced to continue padding in the same direction without questioning herself. Finally she reached a couple or large doors. Hoping she had found the barn, she entered.

Once she had entered, she knew she had found the barn because it had a lot of hay in it. Spottedpaw padded a bit further into the barn and she observed that the barn was teeming with rodents. Remembering Darkstripe's not-quite lesson, she quickly found a mouse, successfully crept up on it, caught it, and immediately sat down to eat.

"What are you doing here?" a voice asked nervously.  
"My name is Spottedpaw. I didn't know that there was a cat living in this barn or I probably wouldn't have come." Spottedpaw meowed softly.  
"Have y-you c-come to t-take m-me back?" the cat stammered.  
"Take you back where?" Spottedpaw asked quizzically.  
"BloodClan! Please, oh, please don't be here on BloodClan business!" the cat wailed.  
"Please relax. I have absolutely no idea what this BloodClan even is." Spottedpaw meowed soothingly.  
"Good."

The two cats turned around and finally caught sight of each other. Spottedpaw saw a mangled black and white cat while the other cat saw a small tortoiseshell cat, no more than six and a half moons old, one that couldn't possibly have been on BloodClan business. She was too well-groomed to be BloodClan.

"So what is your name?" Spottedpaw asked hesitantly.  
"Barley," Barley answered.  
"What _is_ this BloodClan that you spoke of?" Spottedpaw asked inquisitively.  
"BloodClan is a cruel clan. No elders and no sick. I ran away from BloodClan after my brothers, Snake and Ice, tried to kill my sister, Violet. I found her a home and ran away."  
"That's-that's horrible!" Spottedpaw exclaimed.  
"Horrible, definitely; but that is the way of BloodClan." Barley mewed sadly.  
"I know _I _wouldn't want to live in BloodClan!" Spottedpaw meowed.  
" I doubt _any _BloodClan residents want to live in BloodClan. Well, except for maybe Scourge, Bone and his guard." Barley retorted.  
"Why don't you just join a clan?" Spottedpaw asked.  
"I guess I'm more suited to living alone or with a companion. Yet if I _ever_ want a companion, he would have to be at least six moons younger than you." Barley explained.  
"I'm sorry you have to live alone like that. By the way, who is Scourge?" Spottedpaw wondered.

Spottedpaw was so absorbed in learning about who Scourge is in more than five words that she didn't notice the feathery whiskered tom approaching the barn.

"Hello, Spottedpaw." Featherwhisker greeted.  
"Hello." Spottedpaw replied.  
"We ought to be getting back to ThunderClan." Featherwhisker suggested.

They padded back to camp.

The second the two cats entered the gorse tunnel leading to camp, Bluestar saw them and immediately meowed the familiar summons.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Bluestar's voice rang out before the entire camp.

As the cats gathered, Spottedpaw caught Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, and Longpaw looking at her as if she was a StarClan cat back from the dead. Mousepaw almost stumbled before approaching Spottedpaw, which was _very _unlike Mousepaw. More like her brother, Runningpaw.

"Darkstripe s-said you got hit by a-a monster!" Mousepaw exclaimed.  
"He-He said you died!" Runningpaw stammered.  
"Well, I don't know why Darkstripe would say such things. I'm very much alive." Spottedpaw mewed reassuringly.

The apprentices didn't notice that Bluestar was waiting until she yowled for silence. That was when _all_ the cats were focused on what Bluestar had to say.  
"Thats better." Bluestar meowed to herself before continuing. "Today we come together to finally give Spottedkit her apprentice name."

Murmurs of surprise came from the clan, mainly the apprentices, mainly Sunsetpaw, who just continued to repeat the same thing over and over, like a kid that continuously provokes anyone sent to the office.

"Featherwhisker, you have been our medicine cat for many moons. You have found a cat that is willing to become your apprentice. Spottedpaw will be your apprentice."

Loud '_ohhhh_s' and '_now I get it_s' rose up from the listening cats, mainly the apprentices, mainly Sunsetpaw, who continued to repeat those '_ohhhh_s' and '_now I get it_s,' driving the other cats mad.

As the cats disbanded, Featherwhisker flicked his tail, motioning for her to follow. Then he padded over to the medicine den. Spottedpaw tried to follow him, but she was blocked by a line of apprentices, mainly Sunsetpaw and company.

"So, you're an apprentice now!" Sunsetpaw meowed warmly.  
"Want to be our friend?" Mousepaw tempted.  
"Um, Sunsetpaw, Mousepaw, I have to leave you now. I'll get back to you later." Spottedpaw mewed hurriedly. Then she padded over to the medicine den before Sunsetpaw could regain her composure.

Spottedpaw entered the medicine den to find that Featherwhisker was treating Thistleclaw's nose.

"Thistleclaw hit his head when he was trying to fight a squirrel's den." Featherwhisker explained.  
"It was hiding the squirrel." Thistleclaw growled. "My answer: fight the squirrel's den. Fight anything that doesn't go your way, that's my motto."  
"Not too smart, was it?" remarked Featherwhisker.  
Thistleclaw didn't reply.

Featherwhisker continued on treating Thistleclaw while Spottedpaw hovered outside the medicine clearing. She was greeted after a while by Runningpaw.

"Hi, Spottedpaw!" Runningpaw exclaimed, "Didn't expect to find you hovering outside the medicine den!"  
"You were even less expected to be here." Spottedpaw meowed practically.  
"Well, that doesn't matter." Runningpaw mewed hurriedly.  
"So I am lead to assume that you have a reason for our meeting." Spottedpaw meowed educationally.  
"Um, I guess so..." Runningpaw trailed off.  
"I am lead to assume that your reason for talking to me is Sunsetpaw." Spottedpaw guessed.  
"Um, yeah; I want to be noticed. And I think the only way to do that is by being Sunsetpaw's friend." Runningpaw admitted.  
"You don't have to be popular to be noticed. If you work hard, you can achieve anything. The best recognition comes from working hard to do whatever you can for the clan." Spottedpaw advised.  
"Are you saying that I can become popular by proving myself?" Runningpaw asked.  
"Do you even need to _be _popular? You can just prove yourself without being popular." Spottedpaw pointed out.  
"I'll do that." Runningpaw replied before becoming cool.

Coincidentally it seemed that Featherwhisker had finished treating Thistleclaw, and had watched the whole exchange. And he was obviously impressed. When Spottedpaw was back in the medicine clearing, Featherwhisker spoke.

"You give good advice. Runningpaw looked as if he was about to get a personality change." Featherwhisker commented.  
"He did?"  
"Of course he did. You didn't notice? Try to be more attentive." Featherwhisker meowed.  
"I will." Spottedpaw resolved.

**Okay, guys! I haven't picked a new fan fiction yet, but I wish to inform you that I'm starting a new fan fiction about how Tigerclaw came to be bloodthirsty. The best part is that everything is told from Goldenflower's POV. You like, no? But seriously, **_**submit the characters already!**_


	10. Hollymist Broken

**Wow. I didn't think I'd get so many characters at one time. Sorry to be making too many demands, but what are characters without a story? And you must have forgotten Moonpaw and Sunsetpaw's warrior names. BTW, that Thistleclaw thing was a joke. And um, Lightkit, you can't have a blind medicine cat nor can you can't lose your sight to greencough...**

**Disclaimer: I got the kitting scene from Millie's kitting in Eclipse (Great StarClan, I hate that book)**

**UJ: I'm just going to quit saying I beta'd, but just so you know, I probably did beta half these chapters.**

If you think that the weirdest part of Spottedpaw's training was the very beginning, or that her training was very uneventful, you are wrong. You are _very _wrong.

It was a quarter-moon after Spottedpaw began her training. She had familiarized herself with the basic herbs, like juniper berries and poppy seeds. She knew where to find them, and where to find them if they weren't in the first place.

It was about dawn when they got the expected call.

"Get Featherwhisker; Hollymist is kitting!" a voice called out from the nursery.

"Spottedpaw! Do you remember what is needed?" Featherwhisker asked patiently.  
"Yes." Spottedpaw answered calmly.

"Well, would you get them?" Featherwhisker requested.

"Okay," Spottedpaw answered, maybe not exactly as calm as before.

Featherwhisker left the den, leaving Spottedpaw in the den under pressure.

She gathered the herbs needed. Well, all the herbs except one. That herb was on the top of the shelf, where Spottedpaw couldn't reach. Featherwhisker must have forgotten to move it lower. Therefore, Spottedpaw was forced to pace around wondering how to get it while Hollymist was kitting. She paced for a while, wondering what to do. After a few seconds, she started to get frustrated.

Some second later, this weird energy started to simmer inside her. It wasn't normal energy. It didn't come from her body, it came from something else. Could it be possible that the energy came from her _mind_? But she didn't have enough time to consider the idea due to the fact that her attention was diverted. In other words, a small breeze came from the den wall, ruffling her fur. Then that one herb she needed drifted down to land right in front of her paws. She was so absorbed in the fact that she had the herb that she needed; she didn't notice the strangeness of a breeze coming from the wall. Spottedpaw ran off toward the nursery.

Spottedpaw appeared in front of the nursery quickly. She saw Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy and Hollymist's mate, sitting his own vigil outside the nursery. He shot a brief glance at Spottedpaw as she entered the nursery.

Hollymist was panting hard.

"How is she?" Spottedpaw asked. It was kind of an empty question. She could sense Hollymist's discomfort like a thorn in her side.

"She's doing fine." Featherwhisker murmured reassuringly.

"Where's Redtail?" Hollymist begged.

"He's just outside." Spottedpaw told her.

"Good." Hollymist sighed as the spasm left her. "Don't let him come in, not yet."

Featherwhisker wrapped his tail over Spottedpaw, drawing her closer. "Here," he mewed, grasping Spottedpaw's paw gently between his jaws and resting it on Hollymist's swollen flank. "Another spasm is coming. They come like waves lapping the shore, one after another, growing faster and stronger." Spottedpaw felt a thrill of anticipation as Hollymist's flank tensed and rolled beneath her paw.

"Her muscles are working to push the kits out," Featherwhisker explained. "In a moment she's going to have to help by pushing, too."

"Now?" Hollymist asked.

"Not yet." Featherwhisker rested his paw beside Spottedpaw's as the spasm subsided. Calm radiated from the medicine like moonbeams. Spottedpaw was impressed. Her own heart was pounding so hard she was sure the others must be able to hear it.

"Now!" A new spasm gripped Hollymist, and Spottedpaw felt the queen tense and tremble as she pushed with all her might.

"The first one's coming," Featherwhisker encouraged. "I can see it."

Hollymist pushed again, and Spottedpaw smelled a new scent, warm, both musky and fresh at the same time.

Featherwhisker shuffled along until he was crouched at Hollymist's tail. "Look," he whispered to Spottedpaw. She leaned over and sniffed the damp bundle wriggling under her nose. Featherwhisker's cheek brushed hers as he lapped at the newborn kit. "I've opened the sac so it can breathe air for the first time."

Hollymist gasped.

"The next one's coming," Featherwhisker announced. Willowpelt pushed past Spottedpaw and dragged the first kit out of the way. Spottedpaw could hear her tongue scraping the kit's soggy pelt. "Are you washing it?" From the sound of it she was licking the fur the wrong way.

"This will warm it and help it start breathing," Willowpelt told her. Spottedpaw leaned in close and heard a tiny gasp as the kit drew in its first mouthful of air.

Hollymist gave a low moan, and another damp bundle fell onto the moss. "Here" Featherwhisker nosed Spottedpaw toward it. "Nip open the sac to release it."

Suddenly feeling nervous, Spottedpaw licked at the wriggling mass, feeling the membrane slimy on her tongue. Careful to avoid the soft flesh beneath, she nipped at the delicate sac. It split between her teeth and tore open so that the kit tumbled out, squeaking and struggling. "This one's breathing already," she told Featherwhisker.

"Good," he mewed. "Now lick it like Willowpelt is doing."

Sniffing first to find the kit's head, she began licking it from tail to ear. Soaked to the skin, it had grown cold quickly, but it soon began to grow warm and dry beneath her tongue.

Hollymist shifted beside Spottedpaw, and Hollymist's nose pushed past to sniff at her kits. Then she fell back with a groan.

"Another one's coming," Featherwhisker announced.

Hollymist yowled, softer this time, as though the pains were easing.

"There we go," Featherwhisker murmured as a new bundle plopped out. "That's the last one." Hollymist turned and released it from the sac. She started to purr, lapping at its wet body.

"One male and two females," Featherwhisker told her.

Hollymist sank back to her nest, still purring, and Featherwhisker lifted the two female kits and laid them at the queen's belly.

"They need milk," he explained to Spottedpaw.

Spottedpaw picked the kit she'd been washing and laid it down beside the others; it immediately wriggled toward the warmth of its mother, scrabbling to latch on. She sat back and listened to them suckling, their tiny purrs drowned by their mother's, and a wave of wistfulness swept over her as she smelled the warm, milky scent.

"You're lucky to be born in ThunderClan," she whispered to them, thinking of the black kit she saw at Highstones.

The brambles rustled as Redtail pushed his way in. Featherwhisker must have called him. He crouched beside Hollymist, and Spottedpaw heard him snuffling the queen's fur.

"You have two daughters and one son," Hollymist told him, sounding tired.

"They're perfect," Redtail replied softly.

Hollymist struggled to prop herself up so that she could look down at her suckling babies. "The tom looks just like you," she commented "Big and strong already, but with a more orange-colored tail."

"How about we call him Leafkit?" Redtail suggested.

"That sounds like a she-cat's name!" Hollymist exclaimed. "How about Oakkit? And the black she-cat Nightkit?"

"That sounds good," Redtail agreed. "How about calling the smallest one Sandkit? Her pale ginger fur looks like sand."

"Good idea." Hollymist agreed.

"Oakkit, Nightkit, and Sandkit," Redtail murmured. "Welcome to ThunderClan, my precious children."

**That was the most disgusting thing I have **_**ever**_** had to copy from a book! No, seriously, with all of that "They're beautiful". Great StarClan, I hate gooey things. And now for some encouragement; if I don't get a good story, I'll enter my own contest! BTW, the cool part was the breeze, not the kitting.**


	11. Mind studies Broken

**Oh, I forgot about Jaypaw! Lightfall, you are still a medicine cat, just a sighted one. And some people said that Spottedpaw sounds blind. That's because I copied it from Eclipse. And I only hate Eclipse because of Sol. He is **_**evil**_**. Worse than Tigerstar. Much worse than Tigerstar.**

**By the way, I've added a whole lot more in this story than boring old 'Into the wild'. I am not saying that I hate Into the wild, cuz I don't. **

It was a half-moon later. All of the queens that were expecting kits had their kits, scene not mentioned for reasons said last chapter. Cloudnose had one kit named Dustkit. Dustkit was a brown tabby tom. Zippy had one kit named Ravenkit. Ravenkit was a black tom with white paws and a white tail-tip. Willowpelt had a kit named Graykit. Graykit was a long-haired solid gray tom.

We start this chapter at this point in time because of a very important section of a medicine cat apprentice's life: the half-moon.

Spottedpaw was sorting herbs in the medicine den when Featherwhisker was about to enter. She became aware of his presense before she recognized him. She didn't know how, she just _did_.

_How am I ever going to tell Spottedpaw?_

"Tell Spottedpaw what?" Spottedpaw asked quizzically.

"I didn't say anything." Featherwhisker mewed.

"Oh." Spottedpaw meowed disappintedly.

She left the medicine den and went for a walk out in the forest.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I have to figure out about this energy. I can't keep going on in the dark like this! _Spottedpaw thought angrily.

She padded along until she reached the gnarled oak, a great spot for peace and solitude. She sat for a while, wondering what to do, until she realized that she could not summon the energy at will.

_If I can't summon this energy at will, I could wait for hours before the energy comes back! _she thought.

Suddenly, Spottedpaw heard a screech. She immediately ran towards the source of the noise.

She didn't notice how far she had gone until she reached the training hollow. But there were no apprentices in sight. Instead, she saw Tigerclaw in a fierce fight with Whitestorm. This wasn't a normal fight; they had their claws unsheathed! Using the small amount of authority that she had as the apprentice medicine cat, she demanded to know what was going on. The fighting cats ignored her and continued to fight.

"Stop!" she tried again, yowling this time. Suddenly the mysterious energy came again, and a wave of dust blew from the ground, right into Tigerclaw's eyes.

"Oh! My eyes! My eyes!" he yowled, springing off of Whitestorm.

Whitestorm looked genuinly surprised to have won the battle so easily, and his surprise remained on his face for a second more before he regained control of himself. By the time Whitestorm had regained his control, Tigerclaw had, too. Both cats made to leave the training hollow, but Spottedpaw blocked the exit.

"What happened here?" Spottedpaw asked again.

"Move, apprentice." Tigerclaw growled impatiently.

"Even _you _know not to argue right now, Tigerclaw!" Spottedpaw answered calmly.

"She's right." a voice mewed from behind her. She turned to see her mentor, Featherwhisker. When she turned back around, she saw that Tigerclaw and Whitestorm were as shocked as she was to see the medicine cat as she was.

"So what _did_ happen?" Spottedpaw asked once more.

"I don't know. I thought Tigerclaw was a ShadowClan warrior." Whitestorm grunted.

Featherwhisker didn't seem to have thought hard about the answer and took that as an answer. Tigerclaw padded out of the hollow, closely followed by Featherwhisker. Only Spottedpaw and Whitestorm remained in the training hollow.

"Didn't Tigerclaw _smell _like ThunderClan?" Spottedpaw asked when they had gone.

"No. Actually, he smelled like the Twolegplace." Whitestorm admitted.

"Why didn't you just _say _that? You're going to get ShadowClan involved." Spottedpaw mewed exasperatedly.

"How?" Whitestrom wondered.

"Because Bluestar's going to thing that Tigerclaw met with ShadowClan warriors or something!" Spottedpaw explained.

"Doubt it. She's not mad!" Whitestorm defended Bluestar.

"We ought to head back to camp." Spottedpaw suggested.

"Good idea." Whitestorm agreed.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

All during the journey back to camp, Spottedpaw felt a growing sense of dread that she was about to find out that something horrible had happened. Something having to do with Tigerclaw.

When at last she entered the camp with Whitestorm, she saw a shape stretched out in the clearing. It took her a couple of seconds to recognize the presence of Thistleclaw. She also noticed that Thistleclaw was dead. Suddenly Spottedpaw understood. This _was _horrible. As for what it had to do with Tigerclaw, Thistleclaw was Tigerclaw's mentor.

It seemed as if it had been less that a heartbeat ago when she discovered Thistleclaw's death and now, when her and Featherwhisker were racing towards the edge of the territory in order to catch up with the other medicine cats, who were no doubt already on their way to Highstones for the half-moon meeting.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At last they caught up to the other medicine cats.

"I thought you weren't coming!" a voice rasped.

"Well, we're here, Yellowfang!" Featherwhisker replied.

"As long as you're here, we ought to get going." came another voice.

"True enough, Barkface." Yellowfang rasped.

As they walked, Spottedpaw noticed a gray tom trying to edge closer to her. The tom had a dark crust around his nose, as if he had a cold that he couldn't cure.

"Hi!" the tom mewed.

"Hello." Spottedpaw answered, as if she didn't know what to make of the situation.

"My name is Runningnose. I'm Yellowfang's apprentice." he explained.

"Oh. Hello, Runningnose. My name is Spottedpaw." she introduced herself.

"You're Featherwhisker's apprentice, right?" Runningnose asked.

"Yes." Spottedpaw answered calmly.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It seemed that they reached Highstones far too early. But by the time they got to Highstones, it was nightfall.

"It's time already!" Featherwhisker announced.

Spottedpaw felt tension in her belly as she followed her mentor up the slope and underneath the stone archway. Cold, damp air flowed toward them and it seemed as if a river of darkness flowed out too, blacker than the night that surrounded them. Spottedpaw took her place at the back of the line of cats, just behind Runningnose.

The tunnel sloped down, winding back and forth until Spottedpaw lost all sense of direction. The air seemed thick, as if they were underwater as well as underground. She could see nothing, not even Runningnose padding no more than a rabbit-hop in front of her, though she could hear the ShadowClan cat's breathing.

At last Spottedpaw felt a cool in hte air around them, and her fur tingled with excitement as she recognized the first sign that they were coming to the heart of the hill. Fresh scents of the world above came faintly to her as she stepped into a large cavern; a glitter of starshine through a hole in the roof shoed her soaring walls of stone, and underneath her paws the floor was smooth, well-worn stone. In the center of the cave stood a rock three tail-legnths high. Spottedpaw's eyes widened in awe as she gazed at it, though as yet it was dark, a formidable sleeping presence.

"Spottedpaw, come before the Moonstone," Barkface announced from farther in the cavern. "We must all wait until the time comes to share tongues with StarClan." He and the other medicine cats sat around the stone, about a foxlegnth from it.

"It's okay for us to sit, too," Runningnose breathed into Spottedpaw's ear. As she took her place a tail-legnth behind Featherwhisker, she felt Runningnose sit down beside her.

In the darkness, time stretched out until Spottedpaw almost believed that they had been there for seasons. Then, within a heartbeat, brilliant white light flashed into the cave as the moon appeared through a hole in the roof. The Moonstone woke into dazzling life in front of them, glittering in moonlight as if the whole of Silverpelt had swirled down into its crystal surface.

As Spottedpaw's eyes became used to the brilliant light she saw Featherwhisker rise to his paws, turn, and pace slowly across the caver floor to face his apprentice. The white light flooded over his fur so that he looked like he were made of ice.

"Spottedpaw," he meowed solemnly, "is it your wish to enter into the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

"It is." Spottedpaw replied without hesitation.

"Then come forward."

Spottedpaw rose and followed her mentor back across the cave until both cats stood close to the stone. In its light, Spottedpaw looked unearthly, her tortoiseshell fur pale as ash and a glint of silver in her eyes-as if she had already joined the ranks of StarClan.

"Warriors of StarClan," Featherwhisker continued, "I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will."

He waved his tail and spoke to Spottedpaw. "Lie down here, and press your nose against the stone."

As if she moved in a dream, Spottedpaw obeyed.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She instantly woke up in a sky-glade that she remembered from once before. It was the ancient's dwelling.

She heard a deep-voiced laugh. "So, am I right when I assume you are now a medicine cat?" Thunderstar asked.

"Yes." Spottedpaw answered.

"Greetings, Spottedpaw." Mothflight meowed.

"Greetings."

"I wuold probably be correct if I guessed that you wanted to know more about your weird energy." Mothflight guessed.

"Yes."

"Well, you see, you are the first of the five." Mothflight explained.

"The five?" Spottedpaw asked.

"There are five elements. Water, fire, earth, wind, and light. Each one of the five is born being able to control one element. You can control wind." Thunderstar clarified.

"Oh. What about knowing what others are thinking?" Spottedpaw asked.

"That's another quality. You can hear minds." Lightningtail cut in.

"Oh, okay. But how do I control it?"

"Practice makes perfect." Thunderstar answered in a smart alec-like way.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Spottedpaw woke, blinking, and drew away from the stone.

**Okay, I ain't getting any stories. And I **_**will **_**enter my own contest if I have to. And you probably have forgotten Sunsetpaw and Moonpaw. They NEED warrior names. Characters will also be appreciated. I am going to delete my story, **_**Remember me, Blackpaw?**_**, because it doesn't have an ending. **_**Thistleclaw, not Tigerclaw**_** will be up soon.**__


	12. Spottedpaw isn't paying attention Broken

**Beta'd! Ain't it **_**purty?**_

Spottedpaw emerged from the nursery, still feeling confused. She had just been taking borage to Willowpelt. Graykit was growing quickly; it was hard to tell that he was only half a moon old. It had been three days since Thuderstar told her that she could control wind. In addition, she _still_ didn't know what he meant by _practice makes perfect. _But she couldn't focus on that now. Featherwhisker was talking.

"Spottedpaw? Spottedpaw, are you even listening to me? Spottedpaw, you've been like this since the Moonstone! Spottedpaw, pay attention, for StarClan's sake!" Featherwhisker was meowing.

"I _am _paying attention, Featherwhisker!" Spottedpaw answered defensively. If you went to school, you would know that she clearly wasn't paying a word of attention.

"Then what is comfrey used for?" Featherwhisker tested.

_Mend broken bones, soothe wounds. StarClan let her say one of those!_

"You just said the answer." Spottedpaw meowed.

"Yes, I did. If you were paying attention, you would know!" Featherwhisker retorted.

_Mend broken bones, soothe wounds. StarClan let her say one of those!_

" If chewed into a poultice, comfrey can be used to soothe wounds and mend broken bones." Spottedpaw answered promptly.

"You really didn't seem to be paying any attention. Clearly I was wrong." Featherwhisker mewed. But Spottedpaw was deep in thought already.

_How am I _ever _going to learn more?_ Then she had a flashback.

_Spottedpaw was in the main dwelling of StarClan. She had just received the vision about the black kit. _

_"Featherwhisker, you will be her dream guardian."_

_"So I'll be-"_

Featherwhisker ripped her back into real time.

"Spottedpaw! Earth to Spottedpaw!" Featherwhisker was almost yowling.

"Yes?" Spottedpaw asked patiently.

"How many times do I have to tell you to get the juniper berries? Smallear has a bellyache!" Featherwhisker answered impatiently. From his tone, Spottedpaw guessed that he had mentioned it several times, she just wasn't listening. She probably wasn't listening.

"Oh!"

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Featherwhisker asked patiently.

Remembering the flashback, Spottedpaw meowed," There is."

"Well, tell me _after _you've given Smallear the berries. I care for your welfare, Spottedpaw, but duty always comes before pleasure!" Featherwhisker instructed.

"Fine, then."

Spottedpaw headed over to the elder's den with some berries clamped strongly in her jaws.

Spottedpaw entered to see Moonpaw and Runningpaw flitting about with their business. Moonpaw was going through Rosetail's pelt with some mouse bile, while Runningpaw was setting down the bedding. Spottedpaw padded over to Runningpaw.

"Do you need help?" Spottedpaw asked him, setting down the berries.

"No, I'm fine. Don't you have something to do?" Runningpaw replied, motioning to the berries.

"You're right," Spottedpaw grumbled. "But at least I don't have to work with the mouse bile!" Spottedpaw picked up the juniper berries and moved over to Smallear.

"Eat these," she meowed. "They'll make you feel better."

Smallear munched them up.

"Runningpaw, Moonpaw, you're done here." One-eye mewed.

"Thank you!" the two apprentices chorused before pelting toward the fresh-kill pile.

"They act as if helping the elders is _torture_!" Rosetail exclaimed.

"Some activities are much more fun if one chooses to complete the activity, and in reverse, a fun activity is so much less fun when one must complete the activity." Spottedpaw answered patiently.

"True enough." muttered Rosetail.

Her job being done, Spottedpaw headed back to the medicine den.

She entered the medicine clearing to find Featherwhisker seated right outside the medicine den, with his tail curled around his paws.

"You wanted to tell me why you weren't paying attention." Featherwhisker prompted.

"Yes." Spottedpaw squeaked.

"Well?"

"At the Moonstone, StarClan said something about the five elements, water, fire, earth, wind, and light. They said I could control wind with practice." Spottedpaw admitted.

"Oh."

"When I was apprenticed, and we saw the blue-pawed kit, Sunstar said you would be her dream guardian. I thought it had something to do with this."

"Oh, yes. Apparently the kit could control one element. A dream guardian helps them have a special connection with StarClan, like a medicine cat. But the catch is that all dream guardians' are-"

"Featherwhisker! Featherwhisker!" a cat called from outside the clearing.

"Yes?"

"It's Cloudnose! She's really sick!" the cat answered.

"I'll be right there." Featherwhisker assured the cat. "Spottedpaw, was Cloudnose looking sick this morning?"

"A little, like she had something annoying on her mind. I didn't guess she would be sick." Spottedpaw squeaked.

"Well, _pay attention _next time; constant vigilance!"

"Okay."

Featherwhisker pelted off to the nursery in a hurry, while Spottedpaw stayed in the medicine clearing. _What was Featherwhisker about to say about dream guardians when he was cut off?_ Spottedpaw asked herself. Well, she couldn't do anything about it now.


	13. Spottedpaw's first Gathering

Spottedpaw glanced around the ThunderClan camp. It was sunrise, a time when most cats get up. Except for the dawn patrol, most cats were in camp. Spottedpaw watched as the queens woke up and padded out of the nursery to stretch their legs. Spottedpaw figured she'd better be taking the queens their herbs at about sunhigh.

As she padded toward the nursery, she saw Moonpaw and Sunsetpaw looking happy, delighted smiles on their faces.

_Thank StarClan! I'm going to the Gathering! I wonder if Spottedpaw's coming._ After hearing Sunsetpaw think of her, she decided that Sunsetpaw was in a good mood and Spottedpaw could go talk to her and Moonpaw.

The two excited apprentices saw Spottedpaw when she was nearing the apprentices den.

"Oh, hi, Spottedpaw!" Sunsetpaw mewed. It was obvious that ever since Spottedpaw became a medicine cat apprentice, Sunsetpaw and Mousepaw were _so _much nicer to her.

"Hello, Sunsetpaw, Moonpaw. How are you on this fine day?" Spottedpaw greeted warmly and formally.

"Uh, Spottedpaw, did you notice that your voice has become soft ever since you became a medicine cat?" Moonpaw asked confusedly.

"That's probably to be expected. Now that I am a medicine cat, I would need to use much of a softer voice than if, say, I was a warrior apprentice who needed to sound fierce and intimidating," Spottedpaw explained in a soft and formal tone.

"So are you going to the Gathering?" Sunsetpaw asked.

"Yes, of course," Spottedpaw answered.

"I am, too," Runningpaw spoke up proudly.

"I know. Congratulations," Spottedpaw answered. She knew she had said the wrong thing when she saw her sisters' eyes widen.

Moonpaw shrugged. "Okay..." she mewed. The two sisters padded silently toward the fresh-kill pile.

"Spottedpaw, you've been well, _distant _the past half-moon. Why?" Runningpaw asked bluntly.

"Oh, I can't explain!" Spottedpaw muttered. She started to pad away from Runningpaw, desperate to not reveal her secret.

"Why?" Runningpaw wondered, suddenly very curious.

Spottedpaw had already gone.

Some time later, Spottedpaw was sitting down in the medicine den, allowing the aroma of herbs to calm her senses. For the past few days she felt a need to meditate. Spottedpaw guessed that the need for meditation had to do with her _new abilities._

_I hate these 'new abilities'! They have caused me nothing but trouble! I really doubt I can keep this secret much longer. The problem is, I can't even _use _these 'new abilities'! _Spottedpaw thought angrily.

"Spottedpaw! Spottedpaw, where are you?" Featherwhisker called impatiently from outside the den.

"Here!" Spottedpaw answered, clearly not registering the medicine cat.

"Well, Spottedpaw. You forgot something very important to do." Featherwhisker meowed importantly.

"I did?"

"Yes. You forgot to go and visit the queens today," Featherwhisker told the young apprentice.

"I thought I would do that sunhigh," Spottedpaw explained to her mentor.

"It's almost sunset," Featherwhisker replied, finding that his apprentice was suddenly disconnected.

Spottedpaw glanced outside the den and was alarmed to find that the sun had started to sink below the trees, painting the sky different colors.

"Oh, no! Should I go now?" Spottedpaw asked.

"No, I already took them what they needed," Featherwhisker told the she-cat. Spottedpaw felt a sadness, like she has let her mentor down. "Stay here and do something useful," the medicine cat instructed. He padded out into the clearing.

"Bluestar, what happened?" came his immediate yowl. Disobeying her mentor's order, Spottedpaw

"Oakheart tried to seize Sunningrocks," Redtail started to explain.

"He almost succeeded if another ThunderClan patrol hadn't come," Runningpaw finished gratefully.

"Bluestar lost her first life!" Redtail whispered quietly, yet urgently to Featherwhisker.

Spottedpaw padded over to Featherwhisker.

"I guess there has been a change in plans," Spottedpaw guessed.

"Yes," Featherwhisker answered, nodding. "You go see to the queens, I'll see to Bluestar."

Spottedpaw knew better than to argue. With her tail trailing behind her, Spottedpaw trudged over to the nursery.

Spottedpaw was in the medicine den, filling her senses with herb-scent, when she heard the summons.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Bluestar called loudly, her voice echoing all over the camp.

Spottedpaw left the medicine den, dazed by the large amount of herb-scents that she had stuffed her nose in. She stumbled of the fern tunnel to find that mist of the Clan had gathered already, with the exception of the kits, who were barely listening, anyway. Spottedpaw took her place beside her mentor, Featherwhisker.

"Bluestar's telling us who's going to the Gathering," Featherwhisker explained.

Promptly, Bluestar announced, "The cats going to the Gathering are Redtail, Lionheart, Tigerclaw, Smallear, Rosetail, Speckletail, Moonpaw, Sunsetpaw, and Runningpaw. Eat up."

Bluestar leapt off the Highrock and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. One by one, the other ThunderClan cats that had been chosen for the Gathering picked something for themselves.

As the sun sank lower and lower through the trees, the cats that were going to the Gathering promptly left for the Gathering.

They were within reach of Fourtrees. Spottedpaw knew it although she had never been to a Gathering. When at last they reached the hollow, all the cats stopped.

"We're waiting for a signal from Bluestar to move," Featherwhisker explained in a low whisper.

When at last Bluestar flicked her tail, the cats bounded into the hollow fast-pace. Suddenly Spottedpaw was racing alongside her sisters, down towards Fourtrees.

Spottedpaw watched her Clanmates separate out to go talk to their friends in other Clans.

"Do you think we should do that, too?" Moonpaw asked curiously, turning to Spottedpaw. Sunsetpaw had already left to go do something on her own.

"I think we should stay together, but yes, we should go around and meet other Clans," Spottedpaw suggested.

Before long, the two sisters found a couple of RiverClan apprentices to talk to. One was a blue-gray tom with blue eyes, the other a female version of the first. Spottedpaw could only guess that they were siblings.

"Hello," the tom mewed coolly.

"Hello!" Spottedpaw mewed back cheerfully.

The tom turned to his sister. "Remember, Mistypaw, don't say too much," he reminded her.

"I know that, Stonepaw. You're no older than me, so you have no right to go ordering me around," the she-cat retorted, who must've been Mistypaw.

"Well, you can't go around ordering _me_ around, either!" Stonepaw snapped.

"I _wasn't _ordering you around!" Mistypaw replied.

Spottedpaw and Moonpaw could only watch while the siblings argued amongst themselves.

"Do you think this'll be over soon?" Moonpaw asked worriedly.

"Yes. I believe it will," Spottedpaw replied softly.

Instantly, the siblings stopped arguing.

"Sorry about that," the tom apologized.

"Well, hi!" Mistypaw meowed. "I'm Mistypaw, and this is my mouse-brained brother, Stonepaw."

"Hello, Mistypaw, Stonepaw. I am Spottedpaw, and this is my sister, Moonpaw." Spottedpaw introduced.

"You know, Spottedpaw, Mistypaw and Stonepaw look a whole lot like Mistykit and Stonekit, the kits that were killed by a fox three and a half moons ago," Moonpaw whispered a little too loudly.

"You mean Bluestar's kits?" Spottedpaw asked.

"Well, _we _couldn't have anything to do with _them_!" Stonepaw meowed immediately. "Our father is Oakheart, and our mother is Graypool!"

"That settles that, right?" Mistypaw asked.

They were interrupted by Raggedstar calling for silence.

"I assume by your tone that you would like to speak first, Raggedstar," Bluestar guessed.

"I would. Our deputy, Cloudpelt, is dead. She has been replaced by Brokentail," Raggedstar mewed proudly. It was widely known that Brokentail was Raggedstar's son.

Mews of uneasiness rose from the Clans below, but Raggenstar said no more.

Bluestar spoke next. "We have three new apprentices. Sunsetpaw, Moonpaw, and Spottedpaw are here. Spottedpaw is the medicine cat apprentice."

As mews of welcome rose from the Clans, Bluestar continued. "Five new litters were born."

Next spoke Crookedstar. "Our medicine cat, Brambleberry, is dead. Mudfur will be our new medicine cat."

As mews of grief, coming mostly from RiverClan, rose, Crookedstar continued. "All is not bad, we also have two new apprentices. Mistypaw and Stonepaw are here tonight."

Mistypaw and Stonepaw licked their chest fur in embarrassment. Oakheart, the RiverClan deputy, looked proud. Spottedpaw remembered that Mistypaw said that Oakheart was their father. But to Spottedpaw's surprise, Bluestar had a faint look of pride on her face, too. Crookedstar continued by saying, "A new litter of kits has been born."

"Her name is Silverkit," Mistypaw whispered to Spottedpaw.

Tallstar spoke last. "We have a new warrior. Ashfoot sits vigil in the camp tonight."

Mews of approval rose from the Clans.

The Gathering was over.

"Good-bye Mistypaw, Stonepaw." Moonpaw and Spottedpaw chorused.

"Good-bye Spottedpaw, Moonpaw." Mistypaw and Stonepaw chorused. "See you at the next Gathering!"

"See you!" Moonpaw called after them.

**Ow. Yesterday I had some hot chocolate and my tongue still throbs. Seriously, it hurts. Okay, on to the things you care about. The story contest is still on, though the deadline for stories is November 25th. **


	14. The grieving pigeon Broken

**Mission accomplished. BTW, I didn't think people would actually **_**read **_**that piece of foxdung, but you answered the questions right! In vaderdude's face(I told him a goat could write better)! But do me a favor and don't ask him to take this down! I want MORE FLAMES!!!!(Puts on evil grin). This is why nine-year-olds cannot submit fics. I had originally planned out a basic idea for the other fic, but I lost the notebook I was writing it in. Sorry I couldn't announce the winners on the 25th. But I can now! The winner (dun dun dun dun) of the new fic story contest(dun dun dun dun) is(drumroll)...Sorrow of Suicide! Congratulations to Coldpaw and Hopepaw! **

It was half a moon after the Gathering. Spottedpaw and the other medicine cats had gone to the Moonstone the previous night.

At the moment, Spottedpaw was hunting for herbs. She was supposed to be looking for juniper berries, but she was hungry. A thrush caught her eye, but it flew off. Spottedpaw knew it would be foolish to follow it, but something was telling her to follow the thrush.

When she got to the spot where the thrush had disappeared to, Spottedpaw found a pair of pigeons bickering over some unknown thing. One pigeon pecked the other, the second pigeon kicked back. _The fighting moves look sophisticated for a pigeon._ Spottedpaw thought.

Suddenly, a hawk swooped down and grabbed one of the pigeons before flying back into the sky. Instead of moving on like pigeons would or fleeing, the remaining pigeon just sat there and _grieved_. Spottedpaw stared at the pigeon for some seconds before pelting off.

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"Featherwhisker! Featherwhisker!" Spottedpaw yowled, pelting into the medicine clearing. Featherwhisker bolted out of the medicine den and was dismayed to find that Spottedpaw was alone.

"By the racket you made, I thought ShadowClan was attacking!" Featherwhisker growled.

"Well, they could attack." Spottedpaw replied. "I had a sign. At least, I think it was a sign."

Now Featherwhisker seemed interested. "A sign? Tell me about it."

"Well, I was padding through the forest and I saw a thrush. I followed it. It led me to a couple of pigeons that were bickering over something. Suddenly, a hawk swooped down and grabbed one pigeon. Instead of panicing like an average pigeon, the remaining pigeon just sat there and grieved!" Spottedpaw relayed.

"Well, that is _definently_ a sign." Featherwhisker mewed.

"But what does it _mean_?" Spottedpaw asked.

"I have no idea. I believe we must wait for another sign." Featherwhisker answered.

"Wait a moment." Spottedpaw mewed. "The pigeons were fighting amongst themselves before the hawk got to the first pigeon. So maybe the sign could mean that while one Clan bickers amongst thmselves, another Clan, a stronger Clan, will fight them and win."

"You could be right. And since the sign came to you, that means ThunderClan will either attack or be attacked. Last I checked, Bluestar wasn't planning on attacking another Clan, so that means we will be attacked."

"WindClan won't attack soon," Spottedpaw mused. "ShadowClan are busy with Raggedstar's illness, so the most likely attckers would be RiverClan."

Before Spottedpaw exited the clearing, Featherwhisker called Spottedpaw back.

"Yes?"

"How did you know Raggedstar was ill?" Featherwhisker asked.

"Yellowfang couldn't stop thinking about it yesterday." Spottedpaw answered with a grin.

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As Spottedpaw approached Bluestar's den, she heard soft murmuring inside.

"Mistypaw and Stonepaw looked so good at the Gathering." Bluestar murmured quietly.

_Mistypaw and Stonepaw? What in the name of StarClan could Bluestar want with them?_ Spottedpaw wondered.

Showing no sign that she had heard, Spottedpaw called out.

"Enter." came Bluestar's soft reply.

Spottedpaw entered Bluestar's den. Bluestar was sitting with her tail curled around her paws. _She looks like Mistypaw._ Spottedpaw thought immediately.

The ThunderClan leader's sky-blue gaze rested upon Spottedpaw. "Well..?" Prompted Bluestar.

"I had a sign. I was padding through the forest and I saw a thrush. The thrush flew away, and I followed it. The thrush led me to a small clearing in the woods. There were a pair of pigeons bickering over something. They fought well, for pigeons. But suddenly, a hawk swooped down and grabbed one of the pigeons. Instead of pancking, the remaining pigeon stood its ground and grieved." Spottedpaw relayed for the second time.

"So what do you suggest it means?" Bluestar asked patiently.

"The pigeons were fighting amongst themselves before the hawk made its kill. Maybe it means that while ThunderClan is fighting amongst ourselves, a strong Clan, like RiverClan, is poised to attack." Spottedpaw concluded. At the mention of RiverClan, Bluestar's mind flooded with images of Mistypaw, Stonepaw, and was that..._Oakheart_?

_What in the name of StarClan could Bluestar want with the _RiverClan_ deputy?_

"So what do you suggest?" Bluestar warily asked the medicine cat apprentice.

Spottedpaw thought for a moment before answering. "Double patrols along the border?" Spottedpaw guessed.

"Good idea. I'll tell Redtail."

Spottedpaw padded out of Bluestar's den and on over to Runningpaw and Moonpaw.

"Hi, Spottedpaw." Runningpaw mewed between bites of eating a fat-looking mouse.

"Runningpaw, mind if I have some?" Moonpaw asked Runningpaw while Spottedpaw settled down.

"Sure. Spottedpaw, want some?" Runningpaw asked with his mouth full.

Spotting the mouse tail peeking out of Runningpaw's mouth, she mewed, "No, thank you. I'm not hungry."

Redtail padded up to the trio. "Runningpaw, you're on patrol with Bluestar, Mousepaw and Whitestorm." he ordered. Runningpaw gulped.

Springing from the nursery, Sandkit pelted over to her father. "Redtail, can I go on patrol, too?" Sandkit asked.

"No, Sandkit. You have to wait until you're six moons old." Redtail answered.

Sandkit sighed and padded back to the nursery, head down and tail drooping.

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Later that day, Spottedpaw was padding through the forest, in a state of gentle meditation. A faint cry interrupted her. A kit was in trouble!

She bolted to where she heard the call from, Sunningrocks. Sure enough, Sandkit and Oakkit, who were supposed to be back in the nursery, were thrashing wildly in the river!

Hollymist stormed over recognizing the cry of her own kits. She had been hunting when she heard their cries. Without thinking, Hollymist dove into the river in an effort to save her kits.

The current pulled at the ThunderClan she-cat but Hollymist did not give up. She scrambled up the bank, but only Oakkit reamined in Hollymist's jaws. Sandkit was still struggling against the current.

"Sandkit!" Hollymist wailed.

At the moment Bluestar came from seemingly out of nowhere, while a RiverClan tom appeared on the other side of the river. It was Oakheart, the RiverClan deputy! Bluestar seemed suddenly frozen with shock as the RiverClan tom dove into the river and grabbed the kit by the scruff. His powerful body, used to swimming, propelled him and the kit to the ThunderClan side of the river.

Oakheart dropped Sandkit in front of Hollymist. "I believe this belongs to you." he mewed.

"Thank you." Bluestar mewed, betraying no emotion.

"You're welcome, Bluestar." Oakheart replied. The look that the two cats exchanged was unlike anything Spottedpaw had seen before. It was like a mix of sorrow, longing, and admiration.

Spottedpaw checked Oakkit and realized that the kit was motionless. Her face fell. "Hollymist, I'm sorry. Oakkit is...."

Hollymist let out a wail. "What about Sandkit? Tell me she is still alive!" Hollymist asked hopefully.

"She is, but just barely. We need to get her to Featherwhisker right away."

Oakheart left, and the three cats set off, Hollymist carrying Oakkit, and Bluestar carrying Sandkit.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ WWWW_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ WWWW_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They entered the camp to find Redtail orginizing patrols. When he caught sight of his son hanging limp in his mate's jaws, Redtail ran over to the limp kit.

"Is-is he-?" Redtail asked nervously.

"Oakkit is dead." Bluestar answered her deputy's unspoken question.

"And Sandkit?" Redtail asked.

"Thank StarClan, she's still alive."

"Well what are you waiting for? _Save her_!" Redtail hissed.

Spottedpaw grabbed Sandkit and pelted over to the medicine clearing. Featherwhisker had an herb bundle ready.

"Spottedpaw, what happened to Sandkit?" the silver tom asked.

"She almost drowned in the river. Oakkit didn't survive. And if it wasn't for Oakheart, Sandkit would not even be alive." Spottedpaw answered while setting up a nest.

"Oakheart? As in the RiverClan deputy?" Featherwhisker asked confusedly.

"Yes, him."

Finally the two cats finished setting up a nest for Sandkit. But Sandkit wasn't the worst of their problems.

From outside the camp, they heard the evening patrol. "ShadowClan is attacking the camp!" Moonpaw yowled. Some seconds later, Spottedpaw saw a large group of ShadowClan cats streaming through the gorse tunnel entrance.

"Protect the nursery!" Bluestar yowled. But she was too late. Brokentail, the ShadowClan deputy, had broken into the nursery. He came out a moment later with Nightkit's limp body clamped in his jaws.

The rest of the battle went like that. Bluestar lost another life, Nightkit, Silentstep, and Tawnyspots were dead, and Featherwhisker and Spottedpaw had a lot to do.

"You will never get away with this, Brokentail!" Bluestar yowled after him.

"Ah, but I will. And it's Broken_star_!" the tabby with the broken tail called back.

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**Somewhere in ShadowClan territory...**

"Will you follow me?" the tom asked the other two.

"We follow only Raggedstar!" the brown she-cat spat back.

"And you killed him! Your own father!" the brown tom muttered.

"I'd sooner follow a frog!" the brown she-cat hissed.

"Or Raggedstar." the brown tom hissed.

"Fine. Follow him. Greet him for me in StarClan!" the tom with the broken tail hissed to the other two.

And with that, Sparrowtail and Pinefoot of ShadowClan were dead.

**Well, this took some time. I'm being forced to listen to the Kirby theme song right now. It's annoying. I don't have a problem with the fluffball, but the song is always **_**so **_**corny. Speaking of corny things, the Stupidkit incentive is over. **

**If you haven't read Long Shadows, READ IT!!!! Wow, I thought that Long Shadows would be **_**bad**_**. Hehe, how wrong I was! But still, I was a bit surprised at how things turned out. Not Squirrelflight's problems, Ashfur's. Person who writes **_**Swiftmoon, Savior of ThunderClan**_**, you were right(sadly). Fine, I'll reveal my secret. I read the fics of people who review. And do me a favor and **_**don't**_** call me bad names because I said that. I know you would.**

**Okay, the story will be up either later today or tomorrow, called **_**The four new Clans**_**. Happy Thanksgiving!**


	15. Queen dead, queen banished Broken

**Today marks some great moments in history. Catatheart has good news, bad news and news that doesn't fit into either category. First the neutral news. Catatheart seems to have caught NatzDaCat's tendency to speak of herself in third person. Secondly, catatheart has started reading **_**Inkheart**_** and is halfway through the book. She started reading after she saw the preview for the movie. In good news, catatheart has 100 reviews! In bad news, catatheart got a new flame from Feigning my innocence! It sait that she was a bad writer, and should take the story down. In a follow-up PM, Feigning said that the Prologue and Clapter 1 were badly written, and catatheart agrees, so she will redo the Prologue and Chapter 1. **

**By the way, for all of you people waiting for the next chapter of **_**Thistleclaw, not Tigerclaw**_**, sorry catatheart has been lazy. And, yes, she got **_**Constant vigilance**_** from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.**

It was a couple of days after the ShadowClan attack, and news from the nursery was keeping Spottedpaw awake at night.

"I'm leaving!" Zippy had announced the previous day.

Spottedpaw had been in the nursey at that time, checking on Sandkit. "But Zippy, you can't!" Spottedpaw had replied.

"Oh, yes, I can! Ravenkit is coming with me!" Zippy had retorted.

"Ravenkit, please don't go!" Graykit had pleaded.

"Zippy, I don't wanna go!" Ravenkit had begged his mother.

"Nonsense! Do you want to end up like Nightkit?" Zippy had answered.

Eventually, after much arguing and reassurances, Zippy had come to a decision. "Ravenkit, it seems that you really want to stay with Graykit and ThunderClan. But I have to go."

Now, Spottedpaw couldn't stop thinking about Zippy, the queen that had taken care of her when Spottedpaw found out that she could never become a warrior.

"Why did Zippy have to leave now?" Spottedpaw asked Featherwhisker.

But Featherwhisker's answer never came.

"Bluestar! Bluestar! Hollymist is dead!" Darkstripe called from the gorse tunnel. Tigerclaw, who had been leading the patrol, came padding over, dragging Hollymist's limp body. Poor Sandkit. When Redtail told her that she couldn't go on patrol, Sandkit had convinced Oakkit to go on patrol with her. Now Oakkit was dead, and so was Nightkit. Sandkit was so young; why did she have to suffer from such grief?

Bluestar's answer wrenched Spottedpaw out of her thoughts.

"What happened?" Bluestar asked Moonpaw, who was on the patrol.

"We-we were patrolling Sunningrocks, a-and then we just-just saw her, lying beside the river." Moonpaw stuttered.

"Maybe she drowned?" Zippy suggested from across the camp.

"That couldn't be possible." Tigerclaw retorted. "If Hollymist had drowned, she would have been _in the river_."

"Good point." Zippy mewed quietly.

"What's all this about drowning?" Redtail asked confusedly. Redtail seemed to have missed the patrol coming in. But he was all filled in when he caught sight of his mate hanging limp in Tigerclaw's jaws. Redtail's eyes widened to the size of moons.

"Who killed her?" Redtail asked in a booming yowl.

"Kill? How do you know a cat killed her?" Featherwhisker asked patiently.

"You can see the scratches all the way from here!" Redtail answered in the same yowl.

"Scratches? If there are scratches, then you can look between her claws and find out who killed her!" came Mousepaw's excited yowl.

So they did so. Between Hollymist's claws was a special fur pattern, one that belonged to only one cat: Ravenkit's mother, Zippy.

All eyes turned to the rogue she-cat, who in turn stared back with a hard, defiant stare.

"What have you to say for yourself?" Bluestar asked patiently.

"Here's what I have to say. Hollymist was provoking me. She said that as a rogue, I should be chased from ThunderClan territory -- that _she_ could do a better job raising my kit than I could. Preposterous! I tried to get her to stop, but she kept provoking me and taunting me. Well, I did what rogues do -- I didn't come to you, Bluestar, to fight my battles for me. I showed her how we _rogues_ deal with other cats..." Zippy answered.

"What you did goes against everything in the warrior code. I can not let this insult to our ways stand. You acted like a rogue and therefore I will treat you like a rogue: I banish you, Zippy. You shall never set foot in ThunderClan territory again. From now on you will be treated as an enemy." Bluestar declared. With that, Zippy raised her head, turned and left.

"What about Ravenkit?" Runningpaw wondered.

"Do we send him out with his mother?" Tigerclaw asked.

"Which queen would take the son of a traitor?" Longpaw growled.

"And what about Sandkit?" Whitestorm asked.

Bluestar stopped the flood of questions with a silencing yowl. "Sandkit is old enough to eat fresh-kill. Cloudnose, will you take her?"

"Of course!" Cloudnose answered.

"As for Ravenkit..." Bluestar began.

______________ ____________ ________________ ______________ ________________ ____________ _________ _________ _____ _______ _______ ______________ _____ _____

It was the next day. Spottedpaw and Featherwhisker were going to the Moonstone when they came upon Yellowfang and Runningnose.

"Featherwhisker! Spottedpaw!" Yellowfang rasped. Yellowfang looked grief-stricken. Her eyes looked haunted. She could not suppress the urge to let her grief spill out into the open, but she did.

_Raggedstar's dead! _Yellowfang's thoughts wailed.

But in a metered and calm voice she announced the death of Raggedstar to the other medicine cats.

But Spottedpaw, lost in thought, took no notice as they padded along the Thunderpath. Barkface was waiting for them at the edge of WindClan territory..

It seemed to be moons before Spottedpaw was back in the glade where the ancients dwelled.

"Greetings, Spottedpaw." Mothflight mewed.

"Hello, Mothflight!" Spottedpaw mewed back.

"Good job with the pigeon sign." Mothflight commented.

"It was nothing."

"Good. I have another thing for you." Mothflight meowed.

"Another one?"

"Another one." Mothflight repeated.

"Well, what is it?" Spottedpaw asked impatiently.

"'Beware the father of Mist and Stone.'" Mothflight mewed in a prophecy-type voice. And with that, the glade started to disappear.

_Mist and Stone?_

**Okay, sorry this was short. I haven't been getting many ideas because I get my ideas when I sleep and I haven't been able to sleep. You see, for Thnksgiving, my grandmother came over and she hates cats. So I volunteered to let the cat sleep in my room. Total disaster. It's a break, and my cat, Hunter, is waking me up **_**every day**_** at 7:00 AM. And he won't get to sleep until midnight. But s'okay, he's still a kit. Well, so, um, the new fic's up...**

**Some people want me to recomment some stories for them and I guess I suddenly care about their problems. So, um, let's see. **

**Two kittypets are jealous of Rusty and they become foresat cats, too. That's **_**Fire, Ice, and Shadows**_** by NatzDaCat. Rated T(I don't know why).**

**Firestar had a third kit, but she was forgotten. **_**That's Scars Never Fade 1: I Am**_** by Vampires will never hurt us. Rated T.**

**A spirit from neither StarClan or the Dark Forest has come to haunt Heatherpaw. That's **_**Haunted **_**by Evanessence. Also Rated T.**


	16. Mist and Stone Broken

**Another flame... okay, then. This is serious. Cataheart looked at the first few chapters, and Feigning my innocence, Summer Snowstorm, you are absolutely right. Holy !BEEP!, she wrote worse than vaderdude back then. The second copy of the prologue will be up shortly. To all of you who want to tell catatheart that she has grammar issues, she's fixing them. To all of you with other problems, like the fact that catatheart's writing is not original, 95 percent of stories on this site are not original(Summer Snowstorm, she's talking to you)! Catatheart encourages you to release your flaming needs and take your anger out on vaderdude and Stupidkit.**

_Beware the father of Mist and Stone. _Spottedpaw thought about for the thousandth time since Mothflight told her half a moon ago. At he moment, it was Mist and Stone. But Spottedpaw couldn't focus on that right now. She was supposed to be looking for watermint near Sunningrocks.

But Spottedpaw's mind still drifted back to Mist and Stone. Mist and Stone were both gray things, that was a start. So the father of Mist and Stone must also be gray. Stone was made of rock, while Mist was hazy and almost see-through. So the father of Mist and Stone must be both almost solid, kind of hazy, and be gray. The father must be a storm. So the sign could mean that a large storm would tear through the forest and destroy things. Storms were things cats should definitely be wary of. Spottedpaw would go tell Bluestar after she was done collecting watermint.

"Reedfur, when will me and Stonepaw become warriors?" a cat asked on the other side of the river. It was Mistypaw, the RiverClan cat.

"Mistypaw, you and Stonepaw will become warriors when Crookedstar decides that you should become warriors!" the RiverClan tom, probably Mistypaw's mentor, answered exasperatedly.

"But we're even older than Shadepelt!" Mistypaw whined.

"Your time will come." Reedfur answered. Only then did Mistypaw notice Spottedpaw.

"Hi, Spottedpaw! See you at the Gathering tonight!" Mistypaw yowled across the river. That, as Mistypaw would tell Spottedpaw that night, got Mistypaw a good scolding.

When Spottedpaw heard Mistypaw call out to her, Spottedpaw knew she had gone too far, and had to go back the way she came to find the watermint.

Spottedpaw had been wandering around for a short while before she found out that she was padding around in circles. When at last she found the clump of watermint that she had been looking for, she found it to be all trampled. It seemed as if Spottedpaw had accidentally trampled it while she was thinking about Mist and Stone. Well, it was time to go tell Bluestar about the storm!

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Spottedpaw entered the camp to find nothing out of the ordinary. A hunting patrol, consisting of Mousepaw, Longpaw, Whitestorm, and Darkstripe, was setting off. Moonpaw and Runningpaw were sharing a vole outside the apprentice den. It was so easy to see that the two were perfect for each other, even Spottedpaw stopped and smiled. But she couldn't stay and watch long. Bluestar needed to hear about the storm.

Spottedpaw was outside the entrance to Bluestar's cave, ready to call out, when the revelation dawned on her. Mistypaw, Stonepaw, Mist, and Stone. In the warning Stone could have meant Stonepaw, and Mist could have meant Mistypaw. And their father is...Oakheart! No, that's impossible. Oakheart saved Sandkit from drowning, why would ThunderClan need to be wary of him? Well, it was worth a try.

Spottedpaw called out. But there was no reply.

"Spottedpaw," Redtail called from behind her. "Bluestar's at Sunningrocks."

Sunningrocks, next to the RiverClan border! Now Spottedpaw was sure that Oakheart was the one to beware.

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Bluestar's POV

- - - - - - - - -

It had been an ordinary hunt. Bluestar had been hunting by herself in her own territory before now. But Bluestar's old friend, temptation, had won her over. Now she was stuck in this situation.

This morning, Bluestar had wanted to hunt by herself for a change. So she had told Redtail that she was hunting and set off.

Bluestar hadn't known what she was doing to end up at Sunningrocks. Oakheart had been at the other side of the river that morning, almost as if he had been waiting for her to come. It was just like the old days, before Bluestar became leader of ThunderClan and Oakheart became deputy of RiverClan. Back in the old days, where they could meet without worrying that a patrol would catch them, back when moments lasted forever.

"Come here." Oakheart mewed, so inviting, so relaxing, so...persuasive. Bluestar had obeyed, in the hope that this moment would be like the moments in the old days.

But it wasn't. The moment Bluestar stepped over the last stepping-stone, Oakheart pinned her down and held her there. Now here she was.

"Oakheart, what are you doing?" Bluestar asked hesitantly.

"All those moons ago, we were friends. No more." Oakheart snarled.

"Well, you've captured me. What are you going to do? Take me to Crookedstar?" Bluestar asked.

"No. That would require too much explaining." Oakheart answered. "Instead I'm going to cause you the same pain that you caused me, all those moons ago."

"What do you mean?"  
"When you stopped seeing me, my heart broke in two. You have no idea of the pain I felt after that. Now I shall cause you the same pain I felt. Only physically."

Before Bluestar could ask what Oakheart was doing, he whispered, "Good-bye.", and pushed Bluestar into the flowing river.

**Yes, short again. A lot of people have been asking me about when Firepaw comes in. I promise to make the next four moons go by as quickly as possible.**

**Omigod! I almost forgot the recommendations!**

**For now I have:**

_**Confessions of the damned**_** by Silent Memento. Rated M for blood.**

_**Swiftmoon, the Savior of ThunderClan **_**by el escribador. Rated T for a reason that I don't know.**

**Lastly, **_**Warriors: A Broken Tale, **_**by elderhawk. Rated K+ for evil she-cats named Fuzzybunny.**


	17. Three new warriors Broken

**You all would be glad to know that Firepaw will be here in two to three chapters. That also means bad news. That means that she's going to have to... she'll have to... she'll have to end the story! (Wails) :(. So, uh, in the good news sector, the warrior names contest is over. Personally, catatheart doesn't mind flames, as long as they're constructive. 'Your story is ----' kind of flames are not recommended.**

**Something Random: It's hard to type while holding a kitten.**

Spottedpaw sped trough the forest, faster than even Runningpaw, toward Sunningrocks. Bluestar was in danger. Her tortoiseshell fur was a blur as she bolted to her destination.

The apprentice medicine cat arrived at Sunningrocks to see a horrible sight. She had expected to find Bluestar's broken body, torn and bloodied, lying by the river as her leader lost a life. But the sight she saw was much worse. Spottedpaw saw absolutely nothing. It was nothing, until something caught Spottedpaw's eye. A slight bubble, followed by a gasp and a sigh. _Now _it was something!

Spottedpaw's eyes followed the noise. There was a slight discoloring in the water, like the river almost had a slight gray tinge to it. Wait a moment! That wasn't the water, that was Bluestar, drowning in the river!

Quick as a RiverClan cat, Spottedpaw dove into the river and grabbed her leader. Her legs laboriously propelled her towards the shore, and she wondered how RiverClan cats could swim so well.

Spottedpaw placed her leader delicately on the ThunderClan side of the river and waited for her leader to regain consciousness.

After a short period of time, Bluestar started to regain consciousness. Her eyes opened slightly, and she coughed up a mouthful of water. After taking a few deep breaths, Bluestar's eyes closed and she started moaning.

"StarClan, why did you let this happen?" Bluestar moaned before opening her eyes to find Spottedpaw beside her, but the apprentice didn't inquire further.

"Bluestar, are you all right?" Spottedpaw asked worriedly.

"Fine. But I lost two lives in that river." Bluestar answered.

"What happened?"

"A cat pushed me in the river."

"Oakheart?" Spottedpaw inquired.

"Yes."

"Why would _he_ push _you _in the river?" Spottedpaw asked suddenly.

"Erm, we ought to get back to camp now, Spottedpaw."

Spottedpaw could see the fear in her leader's eyes that meant that she was avoiding the question. But as the warrior code says, an apprentice obeys her Clan leader.

The Gathering that night went without incident. Bluestar didn't even _mention_ Oakheart!

Well, as usual, late that moon, leaf-fall turns to leaf-bare. And every season _always_ brings a new sign for Spottedpaw. This one occurred on a mid-leaf-bare sunset.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Bluestar yowled. It was time for Sunsetpaw and Moonpaw's warrior ceremony!

Spottedpaw watched as Runningpaw, now Runningwind, padded up to Moonpaw and rubbed his muzzle against her ear. The gray she-cat let out a soft purr and padded over to the front of the crowd to join her sister. When all the cats were seated, Bluestar began.

"Patchpelt, Darkstripe, Redtail, are Moonpaw, Sunsetpaw, and Longpaw ready to become warriors?"

"Longpaw is ready." Darkstripe was quick to declare.

"Moonpaw's ready!" Redtail meowed.

"Sunsetpaw is, too." Patchpelt followed.

"Then I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns. Moonpaw, Longpaw, Sunsetpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Bluestar asked.

"I do." the three apprentices declared in unison.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." Bluestar leapt off the Highrock before continuing. "Longpaw, from now on you will be known as Longtail. StarClan honors your courage and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Bluestar rested her nose on Longtail's head and he licked her shoulder in return.

Moving on to Sunsetpaw, Bluestar meowed, "Sunsetpaw, from now on you will be know as Sunsetstorm. StarClan honors your kindness and your ferocity in battle and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan!" Bluestar's nose touched the ginger she-cat's head and Sunsetstorm licked her leader's shoulder in return.

Lastly, Bluestar spoke to Moonpaw. "Moonpaw, you will now be known as--"

Lightning lit up the sky as a crash of thunder sounded overhead. It was heat lightning, lightning without rain. That would mean a fire without quench!

One of the trees next to camp burst into flames. But then, a squeal from a runaway fox sounded in the Clan's ears. Foxes were deadly enemies, but the fire had scared this one away. But what would scare the fire away? Spottedpaw heard its squeals fade into the distance before a wave from out of nowhere, quenched the fire.

-- "Moonstrike." Bluestar finished.

Spottedpaw thought she saw two cats, a flame-colored tom and and black she-cat with blue paws, wink to each other. Spottedpaw blinked and the vision was gone.

The storm cloud disappeared to reveal a quiet leaf-bare sunset, with the sunset on one side of the sky and the moon on the other. But suddenly, a wave of green-colored sunset washed over the sky, covering the sun and the moon.

None of the other cats seemed to be paying any attention as Mothflight's voice echoed in Spottedpaw's ears. "The Moon and the Sunset bow to the greatest killer."

**Nice ending, huh? Huh? Well, now that all the contest are over, catatheart believes that the suggester of the names Moonstrike and Sunsetstorm is...Pinetail Alice Cullen. And another good thing is that catatheart has updated the first two chapters. Feigning My Innocence, if you still read the bold lettering, please tell me exactly which chapters to rewrite. I will proofread them all, but which ones should I rewrite? And I will flood your story with revenge flames if you give me any ----. Got it? I thought so. **


	18. Rusty catmint Broken

**OMG! Catatheart is so sorry she hasn't updated for so long!!! She will make it up to her readers by finishing all that she can, up to **_**Into the wild**_**, before the fifth of January '09. In addition, she will also finish this story by January 15th(hopefully)... **

**Catatheart is happy because she is hepling elderhawk write his new story, **_**The war on StarClan, **_**which will be up whenever elderhawk decides to do his part (catatheart has already written half the story). And in other news, everyone is changing their usernames all the time, it's so hard to keep track of them all! She also now has her own forum, which she gladly knows how to use! She is now going to shut up and write her(horribly cliched) story.**

"Well, there's no denying it." Featherwhisker declared gruffly. "You are definently expecting kits."

Moonstrike squealed with excitement. Spottedpaw's sister had come to the medicine den earlier that morning, complaining of bellyache.

Moonstrike squealed in excitement and pranced out of the medicine clearing to hurry over to her mate, Runningwind, and tell him the news. Her sister looked so happy, bearing such good news. Featherwhisker seemed very happy, telling queens when they were expecting kits. It was a shame, however that life wasn't all mice and moonlight. There were bad things, like sicknesses, and greencough, and worst of all, _the greatest killer._ But why must Spottedpaw think so negatively, when everything else was so beautiful?

Spottedpaw padded into the main clearing and tried as hard as she could to focus on the bright side of life, instead of the sad fact that no cat will ever feel the same about her as Moonstrike felt about Runningwind. But Spottedpaw's time in her happy place didn't last long, due to the fact that Featherwhisker was calling to her from across the camp.

"Spotted_paw_!" he called.

As an obediant apprentice would, she promptly joined her mentor at the entrance to the camp.

"Spottedpaw, we need a whole lot of carmint. Leaf-bare is here, and snow will soon follow. The snow will kill the catmint, so we need that catmint. And believe me, there _will _be greencough this leaf-bare." Featherwhisker finished with a small cough.

"So where should I look?" Spottedpaw asked efficiently.

"You look near Tallpines, I'll try to find any other catmint in the territory." her mentor answered.

Spottedpaw wondered about his small cough as she exited the camp, on a mission to find catmint.

WWWW_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Spottedpaw arrived at the place where Featherwhisker said catmint grew. But oddly enough, there was no catmint. It didn't look like there had _ever _been catmint here. But there _was _a strong scent of catmint coming from somewhere else. That was probably the catmint Featherwhisker had mentioned, he just didn't describe the location right.

Spottedpaw followed that catmint trail until she found the source: a large clump of catmint, right next to a Twoleg garden. As she went to pick up a bunch, she noticed a kittypet staring out at her from the other side of a transparent object. This kittypet had flame-colored fur and emerald eyes, just like one of the kits at Moonstrike's warrior ceremony. When the kittypet noticed that she was staring back at him, he shied away and slunk bak away from the transparent object, leaving Spottedpaw to gather the catmint.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _WWWW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Spottedpaw reentered the camp to find that Featherwhisker was not back from his so-called _scavenge_. So as an obedient apprentice would, Spottedpaw scurried off to the medicine den and dropped off the catmint, while wondering what Featherwhisker's sudden urge to find catmint was. It was true that leaf-bare was here and that the catmint would run out soon, but he seemed so...panicked.

Spottedpaw's thoughts of catmint were interrupted when Tawnytail burst through the entrance to the medicine clearing. Surprised by her mother's unexpected entrance, Spottedpaw jumped.

"What's wrong?" Spottedpaw asked, as her mother's anxiety crackled off her in hot waves.

"Where's Featherhwisker?" Tawnytail asked, desperately trying to stay calm.

"He's not here. Is there somewthing wrong?" Spottedpaw inquired.

"Patchpelt is wheezing...very badly. It might just be a cough, but in this season..." Tawnytail trailed off.

"I understand. I'll go check his condition." Spottedpaw reassured.

"He's in the warriors den!" Tawnytail called after her.

Spottedpaw padded toward the warriors den herb-less, in the hopes that Patchpelt's cough was nothing but that, a simple cough. But the moment she entered the warrior's den, she knew that her hopes had been worthless. Patchpelt's breathing was irregular, his breath was coming in gasps, he was coughing in his disturbed sleep, and in additon to that, it was the middle of leaf-bare. There was no doubt about it. Featherwhisker's hunch was correct, and a greencough epidemic would soon begin.

Spottedpaw raced toward the medicine clearing, in the hopes that Featherwhisker was back from his scavenge. She couldn't work with the beginning of an epidemic by herself. To Spottedpaw's joy, her mentor had fininshed scavenging for herbs and had found nothing. When she came in, Featherwhisker whipped around and studied her expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked finally.

"Patchpelt has greencough!" she blurted out.

Featherwhisker's eyes grew wide and muttered quietly, "I knew this would happen sometime!". Then to Spottedpaw he mewed, "Fetch the bedding. I'll bring Patchpelt."

As an obediant apprentice would, she diligently fetched the bedding and was laying it out for Patchpelt when he padded in, supported by Featherwhisker.

"Fetch the catmint." Featherhisker ordered.

Spottedpaw did so hastily. She fed that catmint to Patchpelt, in the hopes that he would get better soon. But a nagging feeling that Patchpelt was only the beggining of this epidemic haunted Spottedpaw.


	19. Moon Without Feather Broken

**Atabistar is rather happy that she has a forum. Use it, please(sob)! Atabistar**** has inauguration weekend off, so she will be on the computer on Monday and Tuesday, without anything to do but update and hope someone notices that she actually has a forum! Take pity on her...**

Spottedpaw was going to the Moonstone alone. Featherwhisker had insisted upon staying with Patchpelt, who, despite Spottedpaw's catmint, continued to get worse. It felt odd, going to the Moonstone without Featherwhisker, but she had to put her own feelings aside; it was all for the good of the Clan.

As Spottedpaw approached the ShadowClan border, she wondered what she would tell Yellowfang and Runningnose when they asked where her mentor was. It was common knowledge that ShadowClan would do anything to get their paws on ThunderClan territory. Spottedpaw decided that she wouldn't say anything.

When Spottedpaw saw the ShadowClan apprentice medicine cat, Runningnose, alone without Yellowfang, his mentor, Spottedpaw didn't think that ThunderClan was alone in its struggle to save cats from greencough.

"Well, where's Featherwhisker?" Runningnose asked Spottedpaw.

Spottedpaw forgot to come up with an alternate excuse for Featherwhisker's absence. She only mumbled, "Something came up..."

"Greencough?" the tom inquired. When the ThunderClan she-cat didn't answer, the ShadowClan apprentice growled, "We have it too. Yellowfang also had to stay behind."

They met up with Mudfur at Fourtrees. From Mudfur's healthy state, the two could guess that RiverClan was probably doing well and that they were not suffering from greencough.

In what seemed like only a few heartbeats, Spottedpaw found herself at the Moonstone ready to share with StarClan.

Spottedpaw put her nose to the cold stone, and in an instant seemed to find herself in the ancients dwelling. Mothflight was waiting for her, along with another cat, a silver tabby she-cat with dazzling green eyes. Mothflight seemed to notice Spottedpaw's surprise, because she mewed, " Greetings, Spottedpaw. I would like you to meet my friend, Brightspirit."

Mothflight motioned for Spottedpaw to step forward. Up close, Spottedpaw noticed that Brightspirit was actually very young. "Welcome, Spottedpaw." Brightspirit meowed.

"Greetings, Brightspirit..." Spottedpaw mewed awkwardly.

"Do not fear. I am here to tell you that you have a great destiny ahead of you." Brightspirit consoled.

"How can I not worry?"Spottedleaf started to wail. "Patchpelt has greencough and the catmint is making him worse, and the rest of ThunderClan is going to catch greencough, and Featherwhisker and I can't possibly cure the Clan with bad catmint! Then eventually, we'll all get destroyed by RiverClan."

"That's rather depressing. Look on the bright side." Brightspirit advised.

"What bright side?"

"That, you have to figure out for yourself." And with that, the two StarClan cats disappeared.

"Wait! Don't go! _Help me_!" Spottedpaw wailed before she found herself at the Moonstone, answers still not there.

**Short, but you know how these things happen in StarClan. **


	20. Moonstrike and Pebblekit Broken

**Atabistar comes to you again with good news. The infamous vaderdude is finally writing a non-foxdung story! This is only non-foxdung because Atabistar made it up. Originally, it was supposed to be a story about the abnormality of salad, then Atabistar turned it into a Tigerfic! It will soon enough be called **_**Poison Salad**_**. **

Spottedpaw was sitting in the medicine clearing, getting the briefing on the greencough situation.

"Patchpelt is still getting worse. And...Tawnytail has come down with _black_cough."

Spottedpaw's face froze in an expression of horror. Greencough could be threatening to kits and elders, but blackcough was fatal to all cats! And worst of all, the victim was Tawnytail, her own mother! Spottedpaw looked to her mentor to find some certainty that things were not really as bad as that, but instead only concern and worry was written on Featherwhisker's face. He looked oddly...unwell. He seemed to be at a loss for breath, and then stifled a fit of coughing. Her mentor _was_ sick.

"Featherwhisker," Spottedpaw asked hesitantly. "What happens when a medicine cat gets sick?"

"One with or without an apprentice?" her mentor inquired questioningly.

"With an apprentice." she squeaked.

"Either way, that medicine cat ignores the fact that he's sick, and focuses on helping his Clanmates, because when he became a medicine cat, he swore to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of his life. A medicine cat cares for his Clanmates, above all else, regardless of his own condition." Featherwhisker meowed solemnly.

Spottedpaw couldn't help asking, "Even if they have _green_cough?"

He smiled. "Even if they have greencough."

Their conversation was interrupted by a yowl from outside the clearing. Through his panting, Spottedpaw could hear Runningwind's frantic mew, "Featherwhisker! Come quick!".

"What's wrong?" Featherwhisker asked confusedly.

"Moonstike's kitting prematurely." Runningwind gasped. Spottedpaw had never heard of such things before.

"Spottedpaw, you should handle this." Featherwhisker coughed.

"But-" Spottedpaw started to protest.

An impatient squeal from Runningwind forced Spottedpaw to follow him to Moonstrike.

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Runningwind burst into the nursery, Spottedpaw on his heels. Runningwind padded up to his mate, Moonstrike, and murmured, "I've brought Spottedpaw. She will help you."

When Runningwind moved aside and Spottedpaw looked at her sister, she wasn't so sure she could fulfill Runningwind's promise. Her sister was covered in blood, the smell only masked by Runningwind's fear-scent. Spottedpaw hoped Moonstrike wouldn't die today.

Remembering Featherwhisker's training, Spottedpaw set to work.

The first kit was a silver tabby she-cat, looking just like Moonstrike. The second kit was tortoiseshell, like Tawnytail, but sadly she was born dead. There were no more kits left to be born, but there was still Moonstrike to tend to. Moonstrike's life was bleeding out of her in the suddenly cramped ThunderClan nursery. Runningwind must have sensed something, because he bolted in. Spottedpaw stopped him before he could enter and growled, "Get Featherwhisker. If he protests to coming, drag him along."

"Don't!" Moonstrike protested, after being silent until now.

"Why?" Runningwind and Spottedpaw asked simultaneously.

"I'm dying and there's no denying it." Moonstrike whispered.

"No-"

"You won't die. You _can't _die." Spottedpaw protested.

Moonstrike was no longer listening. "Runningwind, take care of Pebblekit."

**Argh! Again with a mini-chapter! **

**YAY! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's **_**actually **_**snowing!**

**Oh, bummer, it stopped snowing.... **_**Grrrrr...**_


	21. Tigers in the Twolegplace

**Disclaimer: ****I am**** responsible only for Moonstrike, Sunsetstorm, Tawnytail, and Spottedpaw (not Spottedleaf). She is also responsible for the bad catmint.**

"Moonstrike!" Runningwind wailed in anguish.

"No..." Spottedpaw whispered. Featherwhisker had _finally_ entrusted her to something important, but Spottedpaw had failed, and now her sister was dead. Beside her, Pebblekit squealed.

Spottedpaw cast a meanningful glance at Runningwind, then murmured, "The future of this kit is in your hands, Runningwind,"

Runningwind blinked confusedly, trying to take in the fact that his mate was dead. Runningwind stared up at the roof of the nursery, as if his answers were hidden up there, and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, his eyes burned bright with determination, grief, and hope.

"Twolegs," Runningwind meowed. "Twolegs take care of their kittypets. Although kittypet life is completely inferior to Clan life, Pebblekit doesn't know that. She never will, because all she will remember is being a kittypet."

"Why can't you keep her?" Spottedpaw wondered while she pondered Runningwind's proposal.

"I've looked at Sandkit and Ravenkit, the kits without mothers, and they're miserable. Pebblekit would do better to have never known her parents at all," Runningwind explained matter-of-factly.

Spottedpaw nodded. "I'll be right back. Sunsetstorm and Tawnytail need to hear about this." Spottedpaw mewed before exiting the nursery.

Outside the nursery, Tawnytail and Sunsetstorm were in the clearing, anxiously waiting for good news. When they saw Spottedpaw's grief written clearly on her face, their faces fell.

"What happened? Did one of the kits die during birth? I know how it grieves you. It is terrible when that happens, but will you grieve for a life that wasn't lost?" Tawnytail consoled.

"Her-her kit is fine, but Moonstrike..." Spottedpaw trailed off.

"What happened?" Sunsetstorm asked anxiously.

"Moonstrike...Moonstrike...is dead!" Spottedpaw wailed, and pressed her nose into her mother's fur. When Tawnytail coughed, Spottedpaw remembered that her mother was sick, and immediately removed her nose. When she removed her nose, she saw that her mother's expression was one of intense grief, while Sunsetstorm's was one of curiosity.

"What about the kit?" Sunsetstorm wondered.

"She's alive. Runningwind was going to take her to the Twolegplace to become a kittypet."

Sunsetstorm's mouth dropped open, while a yowl of disbelief came from Tawnytail. "So you're telling me that Runningwind wants to take a Clan-born cat, a ThunderClan cat through and through, and take her to the Twolegplace _so she can become a kittypet?_"

"Runningwind says that he doesn't want Pebblekit to be as miserable as Sandkit or Ravenkit, the kits without their mothers. He thinks that it would be better if she never knew her parents."

Sunsetstorm's face lit up.

"Twolegs give kits away to other Twolegs when the kits are very small, so it wouldn't be too unusual if Pebblekit never knew her parents," Sunsetstorm mused.

"How do you know _that_?" Tawnytail and Spottedpaw asked in unison.

Sunsetstorm realized what she had said and gulped. "I guess the truth won't hurt him too much..." Sunsetstorm murmured to herself. "Remember when Thistleclaw was my mentor, before he was killed?" Sunsetstorm asked.

The two tortoiseshells nodded. Sunsetstorm continued, "Thistleclaw had also trained Tigerclaw. But no cat knows who his parents are." Sunsetstorm paused to let this sink in.

"It seems as if Tigerclaw's origins are unknown because he was a _kitty__pet_ before he came to ThunderClan."

"What?" came the tortoiseshells' reaction.

"_That's _why Tigerclaw despises Ravenkit! Ravenkit isn't Clanborn either - he's rogue-born, so Tigerclaw doesn't think him pure enough to be a Clan cat!" Spottedpaw realized out loud.

Sunsetstorm blinked, suddenly aware that she had been interrupted. "Exactly."

"Where did you hear about this anyway?" Tawnytail inquired.

Sunsetstorm's eyes went wide, and was lost for words.

Behind them, Runningwind had Pebblekit clasped firmly in his jaw, and motioned for Spottedpaw to follow.

Spottedpaw padded along the trail she had taken on her way to find the catmint and do other things. This time, however, Runningwind and Pebblekit came along with her. Spottedpaw desperately hoped that the nameless handsome ginger tom didn't show up that day. But despite Spottedpaw's prayer, the ginger tom was sitting at the edge of his territory, his beautiful emerald eyes flitting from side to side. Today, instead of hiding in the trees, watching him, she strode right past him. Spottedpaw had often noticed a queen that had nursing kits been nursing kits when she had been around. Spottedpaw hoped that this kittypet would be able to help her now.

That kittypet lived only a few gardens from the ginger tom, and at the moment, was out in her garden. Spottedpaw approached her slowly, so that she wouldn't scare the kittypet off. Her approach was useless, as Spottedpaw didn't notice that the kittypet was staring straight at her. But there was no fear written on the kittypet's face. There was only surprise and…pleasure. Spottedpaw suddenly wondered if she came to the wrong cat.

The kittypet smiled. "You're that tortoiseshell I always see skulking in the trees near Rusty's garden!" she exclaimed.

Spottedpaw felt her skin grow hot under her fur and she could only whisper, "I am."

"Well, hello then. I'm Ruby-"

Pebblekit's squeal cut off Ruby's introduction. Ruby peeked behind Spottedpaw. When she saw Pebblekit, Ruby's eyes widened.

"There's a _kitten_ here!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Her mother is dead and her father-" Spottedpaw started to explain.

Runningwind stepped forward. "Hello, Ruby. This kit's mother is dead and I am the kit's father. Spottedpaw, here, is our Clan's medicine cat."

"So you are _forest __cats_?" Ruby asked incredulously, without a hint of fear.

"Yes."

"My brother, Tiny, once had dreams of going to the forest. But they chased him out. So now he lives downtown with the alley cats." Ruby chuckled nervously.

When Pebblekit squealed again, Ruby shook her head vigorously and meowed, "Oh, yes, the kitten. I can guess that since her mother's dead, you want _me_ to take her in?"

Spottedpaw nodded hopedfully. "Will you?"

Ruby paused for a minute, looked at the kit, then nodded. "Of course. I shall raise her as if she were my own. Hopefully my housefolk will decide to keep her as well." Ruby turned and picked up Pebblekit.

"Goodbye, then!" Runningwind called back.

As Spottedpaw and Runningwind left Pebblekit with Ruby, the two heard her mew, "I think I'll call you…Millie."


	22. Survival of the fittest Broken

**Atabistar has been slow on updating. Unexpected twist, Millie being Clanborn? Atabistar says that it was a reason why Graystripe 3 was able to teach Millie to hunt so well. Also, what had previously been said about **_**Poison Salad**_**, is no longer going to be written. If you wonder what the story would be about and are interested in writing it, contact Atabistar and she'll tell you the plot. Instead, vaderdude has decided to devote himself to Super Mario fan fiction, and to rid the poor readers of Warriors ff of more foxdung. Is Atabistar making too much of a big deal about vaderdude? [ED – Me thinks the lady doth protest too much...]**

"Runningwind," Spottedpaw accused. "You said I was the Clan's medicine cat. Are you implying that Featherwhisker's-"

Runningwind sighed. "I was implying nothing of the sort. I thought that Ruby would be more willing to help Pebblekit if I told her you were in charge of these things. Ruby never would have known, being a dumb kittypet.

Spottedpaw lashed out. "Not all kittypets are stupid!"

"Name one smart kittypet." Runningwind challenged.

"That ginger tom that we passed, sitting on the fence at the edge of his territory." Spottedpaw retorted.

"How do you know he's smart?"

Spottedpaw was suddenly lost for words. Medicine cats were not supposed to fall in love, and what would the Clan do if they found out that she had eyes for a _kittypet_? Spottedpaw could only mutter, "I don't know. Listen, I'll meet you back at camp. I have to collect something that Featherwhisker said he needed."

Runningwind nodded and padded back to camp, while Spottedpaw went to find said thing.

Her quest was forgotten when she heard a squeal. Spottedpaw crept towards the source. Sunsetstorm was pinned down by...Tigerclaw?

"You told them! You said you wouldn't speak of it! I trusted you, Sunsetstorm!" In a whisper, Tigerclaw added, "I even _cared_ for you."

"Tigerclaw, I'm - I'm sorry. I didn't realize your secret was so important!" Sunsetstorm squealed.

Without a word, Tigerclaw bit hard into Sunsetstorm's throat, her body went limp. Tigerclaw then turned to Spottedpaw with utter rage in his eyes.

"Say a word about either the Twolegplace or this little scene and I will make sure you end up just like your sister!"

Spottedpaw felt uncontrollable fear in her heart. She trembled, for the first time she was actually afraid of her own Clanmate. "I won't say a word, Tigerclaw." Spottedpaw squeaked, then hurried away as fast as she could.

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"She's dead! Sunsetstorm is dead!" Tigerclaw yowled for all to hear.

"How did this happen?" Redtail inquired.

"I-I don't know." Tigerclaw pretended to stammer convincingly. "She was l-lying n-near the RiverClan border, torn and b-bloodied." Tigerclaw stated. It was true that Sunsetstorm was murdered near the RiverClan border. But Tigerclaw _did_ know what happened to Sunsetstorm. Spottedpaw said nothing. Besides, who would have believed her, right?

As the meeting dispersed, one cat remained unmoving. Spottedpaw's mother, Tawnytail, lay still. Spottedpaw padded over to Tawnytail and nosed her mother's fur. Tawnytail was so...cold. Spottedpaw wouldn't give up. "Tawnytail...Tawnytail, are you all right?" she murmured. Deep inside, Spottedpaw knew that her mother would never answer and that her mother was as good as dead. In fact, her mother _was_ dead.

"Tawnytail was very sick. She must have finally given in or died when she heard about Sunsetstorm." Featherwhisker mewed from behind her.

"Oh, Featherwhisker, I wish I knew what was wrong with the catnip!" Spottedpaw wailed and shut her eyes. When she reopened them, her eyes burned with determination.

"This epidemic must end." Spottedpaw declared.

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That night, Spottedpaw went to sleep determined to right the wrongs; the greencough, the bad catmint, Sunsetstorm. All of it. Yet while she slept, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong.

Spottedpaw awoke at midnight. The nagging feeling had grown so strong, Spottedpaw had considered taking poppy seeds to help herself get back to sleep. When Spottedpaw entered the medicine den, Featherwhisker's steady snoring didn't greet her. That was reassuring; Featherwhisker wouldn't have appreciated it if Spottedpaw had trampled into the medicine den at midnight for poppy seeds because of a bad dream.

As Spottedpaw was scrambling around in the dark for the right pile, her hind paw rubbed against something soft and fuzzy. She turned to see what she was rubbing against, but she wished she hadn't. Her foot was rubbing against Featherwhisker's dead body! Spottedpaw couldn't help screaming.

Before long, some cat seemed to notice her cries and trudged in.

"Great StarClan, I can't even get a wink of sleep around here..." Redtail muttered under his breath. Turning to Spottedpaw, he mewed, "Great StarClan, Spottedpaw, you look like you've just seen a- _Great StarClan!"_ Redtail yelped. Redtail had just discovered Featherwhisker's body.

When Redtail regained his composure, he asked, "Spottedpaw, do you know how this happened?"

"There are no signs of a struggle," Spottedpaw reported. "Featherwhisker must have overworked himself to exhaustion."

"We need to prepare a vigil. Spottedpaw, you'll need to travel to the Moonstone to get your name."

Spottedpaw nodded quietly and dragged Featherwhisker's body out into the main clearing of the ThunderClan camp.


	23. Spottedleaf, medicine cat Broken

**Atabistar meant to get this out last week, but she was...occupied. Well, Spottedpaw becomes Spottedleaf. Atabistar's mind is starting to numb. Well, with nothing more to say, here's the chapter:**

Dawn came the next day, and Spottedpaw watched the elders take Featherwhisker's body to be buried. Not long after, Spottedpaw and Mousefur were trudging out of the ThunderClan camp on their way to Highstones. Spottedpaw had insisted that she did not need an escort, but Bluestar had insisted that Spottedpaw take Mousefur along. Spottedpaw was not allowed to eat, but Mousefur was allowed to have traveling herbs. Spottedpaw could not remember the last time she ate, it must have been before Moonstrike had died, which was only yesterday. It felt like moons ago. 

Finally, Mousefur and Spottedpaw reached Highstones. Spottedpaw stared at the large mountain that loomed in front of her in a different way. Before, she was an apprentice, concerned only with finding out what she could from the Ancients. Now, she would become a full medicine cat, concerned with not her own interests, but the entire Clan's well-being.

Spottedpaw and Mousefur waited in the cavern. A bright flash of light illuminated the cavern, and all the starlight seemed to enter the Moonstone. Spottedpaw felt the anticipation growing. She pressed her nose to the the stone, and soon was in the main dwelling of StarClan. So many ThunderClan spirits surrounded her. There was Moonstrike and Sunsetstorm, Featherwhisker and Tawnytail, Hollymist, even Nightkit and Oakkit!

Featherwhisker steeped forward. "Without a mentor, Spottedpaw shall be the new ThunderClan medicine cat, but she is only part a medicine cat without her name. Spottedpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Featherwhisker inquired.

"I do!" Spottedpaw declared.

"Then by our powers, we give you your medicine name. Spottedpaw, from now on you will be known as Spottedleaf. We honor your faith and your loyalty, and we welcome you as the next ThunderClan medicine cat!"

Spottedleaf was about to wake up when Featherwhisker mewed, "Spottedleaf, always remember that StarClan will be there for you."

Spottedleaf woke up in darkness, the pre-dawn darkness. Mousefur sat a few tail-lengths away from Spottedleaf, her tail curled around her paws. When Spottedleaf started to rise, Mousefur rose.

"Spottedpaw, are you all right?" Mousefur asked.

"Spottedleaf!" Spottedleaf corrected sharply.

"Sorry..." Mousefur apologized. "Well, shouldn't we leave now?"

Spottedleaf nodded and padded towards the cave's exit, followed closely by Mousefur.

As the two stepped towards the full light of daybreak, Spottedleaf blinked. Life would be different, now that Spottedleaf was a full medicine cat. She was responsible for her Clan's wellness. Her life was no longer her own. But although she was the only ThunderClan medicine cat, she did not feel alone, she knew knew that StarClan would be there for her.


	24. Pest insides Broken

**Atabistar will finish soon, she hopes. In response to a recent review, in this story, Darkstripe is the same age as Tigerclaw, so that is why Darkstripe's mentor was Speckletail.**

"Spottedleaf, could you come and see Cloudnose? She's coughing, and Willowpelt is afraid that she's sick." Runningwind mewed from the medicine clearing.

"Cloudnose? She's sick?" Spottedleaf asked in reply, not really grasping it. The last couple of days had been hard on Spottedleaf. She had come back from the Moonstone three days ago. It had taken two days for Spottedleaf to settle into her position as solitary medicine cat.

The nursery was heavy with the stench of sickness. Cloudnose lay near the edge with Dustkit lying down beside her. Cloudnose was coughing heavily, so Spottedleaf came over and took a look at Cloudnose. Sure enough, Cloudnose had greencough, and she was very late in the sickness. There wasn't much Spottedleaf could do for her now. So Spottedleaf dragged a grumbling Cloudnose to the medicine clearing.

Spottedleaf was pawing through the catmint when she noticed something interesting. The catmint that she had collected from Rusty's garden was different from a different supply of catmint she had found somewhere in the forest a few short days ago. Although both catmints seemed inviting, Rusty's supply smelled...funny. Spottedleaf didn't know why, but Rusty probably did. Spottedleaf had to ask him.

As Spottedleaf approached Rusty's garden, she noticed that the garden was completely deserted. Something wasn't right! Rusty _always_ came out at this time of day to play...

Standing beside the garden was a plump black-and-white kit looking at her anxiously.

"Greetings." Spottedleaf mewed. "Do you know where I can find the cat called Rusty?" Spottedleaf inquired patiently.

"Rusty's not here. What do you want from him? What did he ever do to you?" the kittypet asked fearfully in return.

Spottedleaf sighed. "Rusty has done nothing. The catmint that I have to help my Clan came from Rusty's garden. But the supply of catmint I only makes cats sicker instead of healing them. As the Clan's medicine cat my job is to make sure that all the cats stay well." Spottedleaf replied.

The cat gulped. "So y-you d-don't want to eat Rusty?" he stammered.

Spottedleaf chuckled to herself. She had forgotten the bad opinions that kittypets had of Clan cats. "No, I don't want to eat him. I have plenty of mice that taste so much better than a cat."

"That's a relief. I think I know what's wrong." the kittypet stated.

"Well?"

"The housefolk like the plants in their garden. So they spray stuff onto the plants. They're called pestinsides. They're supposed to be bad for any cat that eats it." the kittypet explained.

"Now I understand!" Spottedleaf meowed happily.


	25. I'm back with a new chapter!

**A few new announcements. First of all, I am reverting back to first person because it is so much easier to use. Second of all, my long absence is over and I'm sorry for not updating. Nothing has been going on in my life so I have no excuse. Lastly, I labeled all of the chapters 'Broken', which means that I'm doing another round of fixing them, as I finally realized what dialogue tags are! Well, I **_**finally **_**have the chapter!**

Spottedleaf headed back to camp. She had just gone to see Smudge, who told her of the pestinsides that were making cats sick with greencough feel worse. Luckily, Spottedleaf had found a supply of catmint that was far from the place where the pestinside-infested catmint was. Although the supply was small, it might help her through the epidemic.

Her hopes fell when she reentered the camp. As soon as she dropped off her catmint in the pile, small compared to the others, she padded curiously into the clearing to find out why everyone's mood was low. It seemed...not right, like the whole camp was in a state of gloomy anticipation.

Her gaze wandered to Sandkit. The sandy-brown she-kit had started to admire Spottedleaf since she had saved Sandkit's life. Sandkit had fallen into a river and wouldn't have survived if Spottedleaf had not helped her recover. It seemed as if Sandkit wanted to be Spottedleaf's apprentice. To find out about this gloom, Spottedleaf was about to ask the kit when she realized that no cat would have told Sandkit any news. Besides, Sandkit was only a kit, and kits never heard any new news. Spottedleaf learned that firsthand. Besides, Sandkit was playing with Graykit and Dustkit, Spottedleaf wouldn't want to disturb her.

As she sat and watched the kits play, Runningwind approached her from behind.

"Hi, Spottedleaf!" Runningwind greeted her from behind her. The tortoiseshell turned to face the tom.

"Hello. Did anything...weird happen while I was gone?" Spottedleaf asked worriedly.

Runningwind shook his head, wondering what Spottedleaf was talking about. "Nothing happened here. Did something happen to you?"

"It just feels...odd in camp. Not...normal," Spottedleaf told Runningwind, enlightening him, though he still didn't get it.

Runningwind shrugged. "In that case, it must be something unique to you, because I don't feel anything."

An idea hit Spottedleaf. "Hmm, so what's something only medicine cats can sense?" she wondered aloud.

"How many lives a leader has?" Runningwind guessed and blurted out immediately.

Spottedleaf suddenly knew what was wrong. Medicine cats always knew when a leader had lost a life, and how many lives they had left. This time, Spottedleaf knew her leader was going to lose a life.

Spottedleaf pelted to the medicine den, quickly grabbing the pestinside-less catmint from its nook. She was much too busy to notice a cats breathing slow and start to die out.

By the time Spottedleaf reached her leader's den, Bluestar was dying already.

"Hello, Spottedleaf," Bluestar rasped.

"Save your strength, Bluestar. I have the catmint for you," Spottedleaf urged her leader.

Bluestar recoiled immediately. "That bad catmint!" she screeched.

Spottedleaf shook her head. "No, it's not. This has no pestinsides," Spottedleaf told her.

Bluestar's eyes widened to the size of moons. "Pestinsides?" the Clan leader squealed like a frightened kit, then dropped dead right there.

Spottedleaf sat with Bluestar as the leader was in the cold state of losing a life.

At last, the leader opened her blue eyes and looked at Spottedleaf. She nodded, and Spottedleaf left.

Spottedleaf re-entered the medicine clearing, she was alarmed to hear only two sets of breathing, hers and Patchpelt's. Cloudnose, Dustkit's mother, was not breathing. Spottedleaf suddenly remembered, although vaguely, that Cloudnose was dying while she fetched the catnip for Bluestar. Poor Cloudnose.

Due to the odd exhaustion that comes with trying to save one, but they both end up dead, Spottedleaf fainted in an odd fashion. She suddenly found herself in StarClan's territory.

"Hello, Spottedleaf," Featherwhisker greeted her warmly.

"What happened?" Spottedleaf wondered aloud, glancing at her surroundings.

"You fainted," Featherwhisker told the she-cat. "You're not dead yet, you haven't even met Firestar!"

Memories flooded into Spottedleaf. She remembered Firestar, and how much her heart had ached for him. During this time, Firestar was still Rusty, a young kittypet that lived in a garden that was infected by pestinsides. more memories from her last life flooded back into Spottedleaf. She remembered watching Firepaw. When she lived in StarClan, she had seen Cloudkit grow to become a strong warrior, Sandstorm win Firestar's heart, the dogs that had attacked the Clan, the evil rogues called BloodClan, and finally, Firestar's quest to seek SkyClan. All of these memories made her head start to hurt.

"Will I remember this in the morning?" Spottedleaf asked.

Featherwhisker shook his head.

"If I don't remember any of this, how am I supposed to alter what happens? How can I stop this cycle from repeating?" Spottedleaf wondered.

"Well, we will be sending a little surprise for you," Sunstar told her from behind. "Remember that in your old life, there were no elementals. Now there are. In addition to doing you some good, with proper guidance, she might prevent some nasty evils."

There was a blinding flash and Spottedleaf was in the middle of Tallpines during a thunderstorm. A black kit with sapphire-blue paws, ears, and tail-tip raced towards Spottedleaf, looking more frantic than a kit that age would ever be. Deja vu engulfed Spottedleaf. She had seen the vision before, long ago. When Spottedleaf was denied the right to be a warrior, she had run to Highstones, not knowing where she had been going. As Sunstar, the former leader, told her of her destiny, he had shown her this same vision.

Sunstar's voice echoed in Spottedleaf's head. "The spirit of the water will arrive soon, in a time of fire and water."

As Spottedleaf woke up to find herself in the den, Sunstar's voice echoed in her head.

**Well, that was the chapter. Since you submitted an anonymous review, Icepath of ThunderClan, where did I write that in the prologue?**

**Lastly, some recommendations. First, there's **_**Incognito, **_**by Silent Memento, a 'Spiderleg is the real traitor' story. Then there's **_**My side of the story, **_**by Jedi Kittin, a 'cats switch places with other cats' story. Lastly, there's **_**Moon and Sun**_**, by Ripmoon, a Clan origins story. I don't know what any of 'em are rated, sorry.**


	26. Midnight

**Finally! I have been waiting for ages to write this chapter! Sorry for the crazy absences. My computer was acting up. By the way, thanks to horseloverheather for dragging me out of the deep, dark pit of no updating. Lightkit, too, deserves that lil' honor, for making me update the story last time.**

Spottedleaf glanced at her supply of herbs. There was a reasonable amount on each pile, all except juniper. Now that the thaw was coming, several cats had started to come in and complain of some ache or another. So much of this had been happening, that Spottedleaf's often large supply of juniper berries had depleted to a couple of berries left. Therefore, Spottedleaf had to go out into the middle of a thunderstorm to get more. If she had an apprentice, she would have asked her apprentice, but she didn't have one. Sandkit wasn't old enough. That reminded Spottedleaf to tell Bluestar that she wanted to choose Sandkit as an apprentice.

To the medicine cat's disappointment, she left her warm, dry shelter of the medicine den, and entered the wetness of the main camp, then out of the camp, towards the even wetter forest. Before long, Spottedleaf was cold, wet, and rather hungry.  
"Oh, what am I even _doing _out here?" Spottedleaf asked herself randomly. She stood in the middle of Tallpines, the rain dripping endlessly onto her previously sleek pelt. A raindrop then rolled off of her nose, coming to a soundless _plop_ on the ground. Quick pawsteps then filled the air. At least Spottedleaf thought that they were pawsteps. Well, there was only one way to find out.  
As Spottedleaf stated to listen closer, she could tell that the pawsteps she was hearing were very light, only light enough to be a kit. But which kit would leave the warm, dry nursery to follow Spottedleaf into the cold, wet depths of the forest to get some herbs? There was only one answer. There was just one kit that wanted to be a medicine cat so desperately to follow Spottedleaf here. That kit was Sandkit. Sandkit had completely idolized Spottedleaf since the medicine cat had saved her life, and now Sandkit wanted to learn to save lives, too.  
A moment later, a cat appeared from behind Spottedleaf. Spottedleaf whipped around.  
"San-" Spottedleaf started to meow. Then Spottedleaf noticed that the cat standing in front of her was definitely _not _Sandkit. For one, this kit smelled of Twolegs. Second, the kit had a midnight-black pelt as oppose to Sandkit's dark ginger pelt. Spottedleaf's eyes wandered towards the kit's paws. This kit's paws were not black like the rest of its body, but a most peculiar shade of blue. Not just any blue, sapphire-blue. Where had she heard of this...sapphire, and what had she been told of a kit with that appearance?

"Oh my god!" the kit squealed. The kit jumped back, slamming her rear end into a small tree, showering the kit with droplets of rain. However, taking another glance at the kit, Spottedleaf noticed that the kit had not gotten wet. That was it!

"Hello, young kit. I am Spottedleaf. What is your name?" Spottedleaf asked.

The kit gave her a confused glance, one mixed with apparent annoyance. "Why do you care?"

Spottedleaf had no answer and stared at the kit, dumbstruck.

The kit rolled her eyes. "So you're not out to get me. M'name's Midnight. Midnight the talking cat," Midnight told Spottedleaf. "Now are you out to get me?"

Spottedleaf became confused. "But don't all cats talk?" she wondered.

Midnight sighed in exasperation, as if whatever she had been saying was supposed to be obvious. "You smell weird," Midnight pointed out randomly.

Spottedleaf didn't hear Midnight, as she was too busy concentrating on what Midnight had said earlier, _Now are you out to get me?. _

_Is it safe to bring Midnight to the camp? _Spottedleaf asked herself, concerned for the Clan. If Midnight had cats chasing after her, those cats could trace Midnight's scent to ThunderClan and attack. But still, when Spottedleaf had first been apprenticed to Featherwhisker, Sunstar had made it clear that Spottedleaf was to get Midnight to Bluestar.

Spottedleaf smiled at Midnight. "Come with me."

Midnight stepped back. "Why? I ain't even sure you're not a stalker."

"A stalker?"

"You are really rather clueless."

"Come now. We're in the middle of a storm. I'll take you to safety."

"First of all, the rain don't bother me," Midnight pointed out, a foreign accent apparent in her voice. "Second, how do I know I can trust you?"

Spottedleaf pondered that for a moment. How could she reassure this kit that she was trustworthy? Spottedleaf sighed. She never thought she would have to be in such a situation.

Lightning suddenly flashed overhead, followed by a clap of thunder only a second later.

Midnight gasped."That's less than a mile away!" she exclaimed in a quiet voice. Midnight then turned to Spottedleaf. "Where are we going?" she asked immediately.

Spottedleaf trudged back to camp, the rain dampening her spirits. Behind her, Midnight kept glancing back and forth frequently. By the time they were halfway through their trek, Spottedleaf had endured enough of the worry emanating off of Midnight. Spottedleaf whirled around.

"Why are you so afraid of lightning?" Spottedleaf asked Midnight in her inescapable soft tone.

"Lightning brings fire. Duh," Midnight pointed out in a monotone.

Spottedleaf sighed, continuing her trek. Perhaps Bluestar would be able to get some answers out of her.

"So, found nothing in such damp weather?" Runningwind inquired. The tom had been placed on guard duty, even during a thunderstorm.

Spottedleaf shook her head. "I had no time to look," she replied, the instant before Runningwind murmured something about smelling Twolegs.

"What's a Twoleg?" Midnight asked impatiently.

Runningwind nearly jumped out of his fur. "Who said that?" he asked wildly.

"I did," Midnight told him, almost as if reassuring him that he wasn't 'hearing voices'.

"What is she doing here?" Runningwind asked sternly, not bothering to speak to Midnight himself.

"I need to speak with Bluestar," Spottedleaf replied, then shoved her way into the camp, Midnight following behind.

As the two emerged into the ThunderClan camp, Midnight gasped. "Oh my gosh," Midnight murmured quietly. Spottedleaf led her to Bluestar's den through the empty camp.

"Enter," came Bluestar's monotone.

Spottedleaf nudged her way through the lichen curtain into the leader's den. Bluestar was seated in the middle of the den, nibbling on a thrush. She looked tired and bored, and Spottedleaf hated to disturb her now.

"Spottedleaf, what a pleasant surprise," Bluestar meowed. "What brings you? Why does it smell like Twolegs?"

Midnight then proceeded to poke her nose out from behind Spottedleaf and ask loudly,"What's a Twoleg?"

Bluestar looked at Midnight with distaste. "Why have you brought this kittypet here?" she asked sharply.

"She is the reason I came. Her name is Midnight. She-"

"What's a kittypet?" Midnight wondered.

"A kittypet is a cat that lives with Twolegs."

"What's a Twoleg?" Midnight asked.

"A Twoleg is a big creature with no fur and pink skin," Spottedleaf told her.

Midnight blinked twice, then mewed, "Oh. So what did you say a kittypet was? I forgot."

"A kittypet is a cat that lives with Twolegs, like you."

"I don't live with Twolegs," Midnight protested.

"But you smell like a kittypet," Bluestar pointed out.

"The scent hasn't washed away from this morning," Midnight replied calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't live with Twolegs anymore," Midnight replied.

"Why?"

"Bad things. Very bad things."

Neither Spottedleaf nor Bluestar pressed Midnight any further. Midnight was only a kit, after all.

There was a small silence before Bluestar told Midnight she could leave. The instant Midnight was out of earshot, Bluestar asked the crucial question.

"Why have you brought her here?"

"Well, have I ever told you that there was a prophecy that was about a black cat with dark blue paws?" Spottedleaf asked.

Bluestar shook her head. "No."

"Well, there was a prophecy like that. Midnight is supposed to be really powerful," Spottedleaf told Bluestar.

"How do you know that Midnight is the subject of this prophecy?" Bluestar asked quizzically.

"Because Midnight is the only cat with dark blue paws and black fur," Spottedleaf pointed out. "In addition, I was told the cat was named Midnight."

Bluestar pondered this new information for a moment, staring into the air.

"I'm still not sure," Bluestar sighed. "Besides, she _is _rather obnoxious..."

"I could assess her," Spottedleaf suggested.

"But how are you..." Bluestar started to ask. The ThunderClan leader's eyes then brightened and she murmured,"I'll make sure she doesn't escape."

**Well... That was the chapter.**

**-jams to Gummy bear song-**


	27. Death to MarySues!

** To all the fic's awesome fans I have been so disloyal to in the past...six or seven months, I'm deeply sorry. I've been taking the past months on forums and on new fics, neglecting this great fanfic. Oh, my good friend, Undercover Jedi, in addition to myself, have also been discussing, editing, and spellchecking the twenty-six chapters in this fic. There have been a **_**lot **_**of mistakes of mine, both in fact-checking and in spelling/grammar. Many mistakes have also been plot crap that honestly could've been so cool if it had gone some other way. However, these things have not gone another way while they should have, so I've decided to discontinue this fic. -gasp of sorrow-**

** I won't delete this fic, as it has a lot of reviews and it's been up a while. However, I will act on sudden urges to change the plot dramatically and create two new fics, called Destroyer and Choices, which will be up by next week.**

** I thank you for all the reviews and support you have given this fic, so that I may rid it of Mary-Sues and lame clichés.**


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